Unshed
by Sky-eyed Kitsune
Summary: After an attempt at bringing Sasuke back for the third time, Naruto's finally ready to cut the thread of his and Sasuke's bond that he had clung to for so long. But what happens when the Uchiha does come back...on his own? Sainaru, Sasunaru
1. No More

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None!**

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**Sky-eyed Kitsune and Gomi-kun blab & Updates**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: Helllooo everyone:D**

**Gomi-kun: Hi.**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: Ok, I thought up this story and I just HAD to put it on paper. There are many stories like this, but this one will surely gain independence from the rest over a bit of time! But don't panic about S.T.R.A.Y! I'm still working on that fic as well. I will never abandon a ficcie! I promise!!!**

**Gomi-kun: --sigh— As usual, I'm your translator. Woot.**

**Fic warnings**: rough violence, language, angst, a bit dark, **SHOUNEN-AI,** lime, **LEMON in the future  
**

**Naru-tachi start off in the beginning as 18, but there will be a timeskip.**

**Main Pairings:** Let me make this loud and clear: **sasunaru vs sainaru**

**Side Pairings:** One-sided NaruSaku, NaruIno and maybe some one-sided KibaNaru

**Fic Summary**: Naruto's been pushing himself to the limit, training day and night almost nonstop and killing himself. And for who? The bastard of course. After an attempt at bringing Sasuke back for the third time, Naruto's finally ready to cut the thread of his and Sasuke's bond that he had clung to for so long. But what happens when the Uchiha does come back on his own?

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**This song gave me some inspiration for this story, along with others. I find it very appropriate for this fic. **

Now I know that I can't make you stay  
But where's your heart?  
But where's your heart?  
But where's your...

And I know  
There's nothing I can say  
To change that part  
To change that part  
To change...

So many  
Bright lights, they cast a shadow  
But can I speak?  
Well is it hard understanding  
I'm incomplete  
A life that's so demanding  
I get so weak  
A love that's so demanding  
I can't speak

I am not afraid to keep on living  
I am not afraid to walk this world alone  
Honey if you stay, I'll be forgiven  
Nothing you can say can stop me going home

Can you see  
My eyes are shining bright  
'Cause I'm out here  
On the other side  
Of a jet black hotel mirror  
And I'm so weak  
Is it hard understanding  
I'm incomplete  
A love that's so demanding  
I get weak

I am not afraid to keep on living  
I am not afraid to walk this world alone  
Honey if you stay, I'll be forgiven  
Nothing you can say can stop me going home

These bright lights have always blinded me  
These bright lights have always blinded me  
I say

I see you lying next to me  
With words I thought I'd never speak  
Awake and unafraid  
Asleep or dead

(How can I see, I see you lying) 'Cause I see you lying next to me  
(How can I see, I see you lying) With words I thought I'd never speak  
(How can I see, I see you lying) Awake and unafraid  
(How can I see, I see you lying) Asleep or dead

'Cause I see you lying next to me  
With words I thought I'd never speak  
Awake and unafraid  
Asleep or dead

I am not afraid to keep on living  
I am not afraid to walk this world alone  
(Or dead)  
Honey if you stay, I'll be forgiven  
Nothing you can say can stop me going home  
(Or dead)  
I am not afraid to keep on living  
I am not afraid to walk this world alone  
(Or dead)  
Honey if you stay, I'll be forgiven  
Nothing you can say can stop me going home

**

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**

**Unshed**

**Chapter One: No More**

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**"What?"

Tsunade was sure that she hadn't heard right. There had to have been a surge of chakra to interrupt her hearing, because there was no way he had just said that.

Tsunade searched the young man's face, the face of her brother.

Naruto had grown tremendously, physically and mentally. His body was defined and chiseled with the grueling years of training he had undergone. His chest muscles rippled under the tight black shinobi shirt that flexed over his covered sun-kissed skin. But somehow despite all of the muscle and tone he had received, Naruto was still slender and short for his age, now eighteen.

His hair had grown down to brush against his shoulders, the spikes now more seemingly tamed and quiet, but never loosing their bright glow. Naruto's whisker marks were darker and more predominant. Since his internal merging with the fox, this had been one of the side affects. The other was the accelerated growth rate of his hair, and the change of his eyes.

Naruto's right eye was a bright blue, though dimmer than it had once been when it was so full of hope, and the left was crimson red, its pupil black but fortunately not slit.

Naruto was decked out in his ANBU uniform with a fox mask hung over to the side of his face. He was a trainee, so wearing the mask constantly wasn't necessary. Though he did wear a mask over his lower face akin to Kakashi's, only this one reached up to cover his left eye so that he didn't have to use his headband for that.

Naruto now had his headband now wrapped over his arm below his ANBU tattoo so that his hair fell in free locks around his face. In all honestly, he had grown into a beautiful man. He could no doubt hold a candle to one Uchiha Sasuke.

Sasuke.

That was the reason for the blonde's sudden arrival.

"Naruto," Tsunade said slowly and clearly. "What did you just say?"

"I'm giving up on chasing Sasuke," he said sternly.

Tsunade looked at Naruto. She had never seen him so serious before, even when he said he was going to bring Sasuke back. It had become more than a promise, but a dream. Even higher than his dream of to become Hokage it seemed.

Naruto never listened when people told him to call it quits on Sasuke.

Never.

He trained day and night, coming home to his apartment bloody and bruised, collapsing onto his bed from sheer exhaustion, sleeping until the Kyuubi's power healed him fully, and then he woke up and started over again. He stopped for nothing but missions and to eat, which was scarcely.

Naruto closed his eyes as he remembered the torturous training.

_Flashback-_

_A sixteen year-old Naruto punched and kicked furiously at a log in front of him at the training grounds. His face speckled with blood, his clothes stained with it, and open gashes framed his skin._

"_Kit, take it easy! You need to rest!"__ the Kyuubi inside Naruto cried._

_Over the years he had become like a father to Naruto, talking to him when he needed it, and comforting him through the hard training. In other words, Naruto was his kit. But this was just too much._

"_Kit, you just got back from trying to get the Uchiha back! Rest for Kami-sama's sake!"_

_Naruto punched so hard into the log that a surge of chakra erupted form his hand as he hit the wood, and the log exploded._

_Naruto panted, staring at where the log once was, now lying in rubble around him._

_He looked down at his hands, drenched with blood._

_Naruto collapsed from exhaustion, holding his side where a deep wound was._

"_Kit!"__ Kyuubi cried anxiously._

"_I won't…give up," Naruto growled between pants._

"_Kit, you could beat the Uchiha into oblivion! Why don't you?"_

_It was true._

_Everyone had always thought that when the red surge of chakra morphed around Naruto and he became stronger, it was the Kyuubi's power._

_They were all wrong._

_It was Naruto's power alone. The years of training had not betrayed him. Naruto had never once unleashed Kyuubi's power, keeping it locked away tightly. Only one person had been witness to it, and Naruto had had him promise he wouldn't tell a soul of his real power._

_The man was true to his word and kept up with the ruse that Naruto wasn't the strongest of shinobi when he could beat the shit out of the fifth Hokage herself._

_But when faced with Sasuke…Naruto always held back. He could never let his true strength out; the strength that would undoubtedly bring the Uchiha back._

_That's what all of the training was for really._

_Naruto was stronger than any ANBU alive already. He didn't need to become stronger. No, he wanted experience. He wanted to fight blindly, to fight every day until he became so used to it that even if it was Sasuke he was facing, he wouldn't hold back._

_Yet here Naruto was after his second attempt to retrieve Sasuke, and after all his training, he could only half-ass his strength. He couldn't fight Sasuke like that._

_Anyone but Sasuke._

_His heart wouldn't let him._

_Sasuke had been Naruto's friend, his rival……and somewhere in between, his first love._

_Yes, Naruto was in love with Sasuke. He would never go so far for him unless he wasn't. Sasuke of course never knew._

_How Naruto had fallen for the bastard he didn't know, but he definitely fell._

_Naruto struggled to his feet again as Kyuubi reprimanded him in his head. He looked up to the stars, an empty feeling solidifying in his stomach and running through his veins like a quick poison._

_He felt so meager compared to the twinkling beauties above him._

_End Flashback_

"Naruto…" Tsunade said quietly. She couldn't believe that the man in front of her was Naruto. The Naruto that would never give in, never stop, never listen. She wouldn't!

"This was your dream, Naruto."

"Dreams die hard," Naruto said, and Tsunade cringed at the coldness embedded in his words and his eyes.

He was serious.

Tsunade sighed, and then slowly nodded.

"I won't stop you from doing what you want, just as I have before," she said, and Naruto nodded a thanks.

"You'll now be getting more missions, difficult ones in which you will be away from home for a while. I also expect you to train under me as an apprentice if you hope to become the next Hokage."

Tsunade smiled as she saw a flicker of life in Naruto's eyes, but it was quickly fizzled out by his sorrow.

"Thank you, Tsunade-sama," he said, bowing lowly.

Tsunade wished that he would call her a hag just one more time; for she was sure she would never hear it again.

**

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Sky-eyed Kitsune: The chappie was short because this was just the intro to the story! Expect much longer chapters!**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune and Gomi-kun**


	2. Bleed Black

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None!**

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**Sky-eyed Kitsune and Gomi-kun blab & Updates**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: Hello Minna-san! Alrighty! For the updates, I'm putting ****Sainaru**** in here to make it even harder on Sasuke!**

**Gomi-kun: Not more lime to translate… O.o**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: Indeed!!! –thrusts fists in air—**

**Gomi-kun: --dies—**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: There is also some Sakura-bashing in this chappie! YAY!**

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**Reviewer Replies:**

**To hiya couldn't find a name: Oh so tragic! T.T**

**To ILoveItachihessohot: Thank you thank you! Yes, I hate it when Naruto forgives so easily. This will give him the challenge of a lifetime!!! And you've definitely given me the kick to really make you give me a 10/10 for this! –fire burns in eyes—THE FLAME OF YOUTH! –cricket chirping— Ahem…sorry, reflex. Moving on!**

**To ****vampire-anime-lover19****: Kya! I promise to update as quickly as possible! Thank you for the review!!! –flings cookie—**

**To ****Arekkusu94****: Arigatou:D**

**To ****Chibi Tsuki Hikari****: O.o Wa! I have little reviews for this because it's just starting out, but I have many for my other fanfic, S.T.R.A.Y! Thank you soooo much!**

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**Chapter Dedication**

**All of your reviews make me so happy that I cry tears of joy! T.T This one goes out to ****Chibi Tsuki Hikari****vampire-anime-lover19****, and ILoveItachihessohot. Your reviews rox my sox! –looks down— Well, if I wore any socks you would rock them. WUV YOU!!!

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**Chapter 2: Bleed Black; Stay Close My Love

Liquid darkness mixed with hot red blood, spilling over ethereal skin in a crimson glow.

A pale hand lifted to brush the streams of blood away, shaking with triumph and weariness.

Scarlet eyes bleeding black focused on the stained ground, a body motionless across the red grass.

A man of twenty two, tall and lithe with unending grace and dignity, straightened himself, casting a dark silhouette against the moonlight.

Gone. Orochimaru was dead and gone.

Sasuke had never wanted to wait so long to kill the snake, and this had been his main fault. Over time the serpent recovered from his searching for a body, borrowing stronger and better ones as time went by.

It was predictable now when he needed a new one; yearly down to the mark. A time at which Sasuke would make sure he wasn't in Otogakure.

But Sasuke had put up with enough of the man's pointless missions, all leading to unnecessary killing sprees to satisfy his blood thirsty minions.

He had in reality drawn the line four years ago after he was no longer able to spy on Konoha……particularly one shinobi he ached to see.

Sasuke turned his gaze up to the night sky, and the starlight caressing his pale face.

He was going home now. Nothing would stop him.

He would see Naruto again.

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"Narutooooo!" 

A blonde man of twenty two years walked through the front entrance gates of Konoha, his steps weary as his black shinobi shoes scuffed against the brown earth he trekked on.

He was beautiful, decked out in the traditional shinobi ANBU uniform of black with silver arm guards, black gloves, a white sleeveless vest, a weapon's pouch, and a katana strapped to his back.

His form was strong but thin and lithe, shorter than the average expected height for males his age, but taller than most females.

On his left arm the bore the red ANBU tattoo, making his sun-kissed skin glow against it, a delicate fox mask covered his face, his golden locks spilling around it, and his right ear was pierced with a silver loop.

"Narutooooo!" a pink-haired woman called again to the man in a high and sweet voice as he entered the gates after identifying himself.

She ran up to him, another blonde haired woman with her hair in a high ponytail following her.

The woman with the cherry blossom hair wore a black boots up to her thighs until they met a deep red halter dress. The other had more of a tomboyish fashion, wearing scuffed brown shorts, bandages wrapped around and up her legs, and a violet tank top.

"Naruto-kun!" the blonde said as the two stopped in front of the beautiful man.

"Hello Ino, Sakura," Naruto said, nodding to the two.

Sakura giggled at the village heartthrob.

"Naruto, take off your mask!" she said.

Naruto moved his fox mask so that it hung off to one side of his head, revealing a beautiful tanned face. Or at least what wasn't covered of it.

He still wore a black mask akin to Kakashi's over the lower half of his face and over his left eye, stained red by the Kyuubi's morph with him.

Even with the mask, the young man's beauty couldn't be hidden.

"That's better," Ino said, blushing at his sheer exquisiteness.

"Umm…I have to go now!" she said quickly, running home as she tried to cover a nosebleed.

Sakura didn't even notice her departure, her eyes glued on Naruto.

She grew brave and reached up a bit to pull down the blonde's mask, revealing his true face in its entire splendor.

She leaned in close to the man and brushed her lips against his.

"I missed you Naruto-kun," she whispered.

Naruto's face remained impassive.

"You're going get Sai mad Sakura," he said. It was common knowledge to the entire village, whom now so dearly loved their blonde ANBU captain, that he and Sai had been dating for two years and currently lived together. But did that stop the girls (and guys) from shamelessly flirting with him? Nope.

Sakura smiled as she pressed up against the man and nuzzled his neck affectionately.

"You worry too much Naruto," she said.

Naruto simply stood there with his hands in his pockets, blank as ever.

He had long ago realized that his "crush" on the girl was never real. It was just a phase, and he was long over it. Unfortunately Sakura was entering her own: the Uzumaki Syndrome.

Sakura traced a finger up Naruto's covered chest, feeling the ripple of his muscles underneath.

Naruto turned his head away.

He didn't bother to tell the woman to stop anymore. It was pointless.

"Naruto, let's go out later tonight, hm?" Sakura said in a sickly sweet voice.

"No," Naruto said firmly. He took the girls wrists in hands and pushed her away.

"Sakura, I will never love you," he said as he started walking.

Sakura pouted as she clung to his right arm and the blonde lifted his mask back up.

"Narutooooo, one date?" she whined. "I promise after one date you will!"

Naruto sighed and shook his head.

"No," he repeated.

As they walked the citizens roaming the streets of Konoha stopped and waved to the once hated "demon", now so beloved for his countless missions to protect the village he loved. He was finally revered as the hero he deserved to be...but then you would have never guessed it by his constantly impassive disposition.

Naruto eventually got tired of the pink-haired girl, and quickly disappeared with barely a flick of his hand.

* * *

"Naruto- excellent work as always," Tsunade said as the blonde handed her his report from the A-class missions. 

"I was smart to pick you as ANBU captain, and it will soon be the wisest choice I've ever made when you soon become Hokage.

"Arigatou Tsunade-sama," Naruto said, bowing to his superior.

Tsunade scanned him with her eyes. He should have at _least_ had a kunai gash somewhere, since this was after all his third A-class mission in a row, but there wasn't a scratch on the man!

"Naruto, are you injured in any way?" the fifth asked him warily, taking in the exhausted aura that emanated from him.

"You've been on long missions one after the other, all very high rank with little rest in between. And you just returned from taking on three consecutive A-class missions. If I know you as well as I do, you didn't stop to recuperate much if not at all."

"I'm fine, Tsunade," Naruto said firmly. "I'm just tired."

Tsunade could tell the blonde was lying, but she didn't want to press the matter further. The last thing he needed after two weeks away from home was a lecture.

"Alright then," she said slowly. "But I would like you to come in to the hospital in a few days for a physical."

Naruto nodded, and with another poof of white he was gone.

* * *

Naruto sighed contentedly as he unlocked the door to his apartment. 

Now that he shared it with Sai, it was larger than the one he had owned as a teenager, and he found it quite cozy.

Naruto dropped his house keys on the table haphazardly as he went to the bedroom.

He removed his mask, setting it on the nightstand carefully, and placed his arm guards in his closet.

Naruto paused and listened for a moment, but heard nothing.

Sai must have been on a mission.

Naruto made his way back to the den.

He spotted some scrolls on the table, addressed to him, and with a quick jutsu he removed the seals on them and scanned over them.

Suddenly Naruto felt something wrap around his waste as warmth enveloped his cold body.

"I missed you," Sai said as he held Naruto close to him where he stood, and he leaned his head down to nuzzle the blonde's neck lovingly.

"Sai," Naruto breathed, smiling a bit as he leaned into the comforting touch.

Over the years Sai had finally left his belly shirt behind, replacing it with a shirt identical to it, but covering all of his skin.

His hair had grown a bit longer, just barely passing the nape of his neck, and he had retained his slender but strong form.

Sai kissed Naruto's neck softly, relishing the feeling of the golden skin he had been deprived of.

He breathed in deeply, the scent of the wind and the rain washing over him and wrapping him up fondly.

"Naruto," Sai said tenderly, keeping his warm embrace around the blonde.

Naruto smiled again as he settled into the warmth.

"How were the missions?" Sai asked.

"Fine," Naruto replied. "Nothing special."

"Then why do you feel so limp?"

"I'm really tired."

"I can imagine."

Naruto pulled out of Sai's caring hold, placing the scrolls back down and facing him.

He smiled weakly as he said,

"I'm going to take a shower and go to bed, alright?"

Sai nodded.

He walked forward a few paces, gently pulled down Naruto's mask, cupped on side of his face in his hand, and kissed him softly.

Naruto gripped Sai's black shirt loosely between his slender fingers, pulling him into the kiss a bit more. He licked the crease of Sai's lips, asking for entrance, but Sai pulled away.

"Go rest Naruto," he said after they had parted. Naruto gave him a quizzical look.

"Isn't this what you want?" he asked. "I haven't seen you in two weeks."

Sai laughed and nuzzled Naruto's neck again lovingly.

"Of course I do," he said. "But you're exhausted."

Naruto smiled as Sai pulled away and went to the couch, taking out his kanji brushes and placing them on the table.

* * *

Naruto sighed deeply as he undid his armor and took off his clothing, revealing white bloodstained bandages around his chest. 

He flipped out a kunai from his weapon's pouch now by the sink and slashed down the red tainted ribbons neatly, allowing him to clear them away from his body and throw them in the trashcan.

Naruto turned on the hot water, the sound of the droplets hitting the floor soothing to his ears, and he stepped into the shower.

He hissed as the hot beads of water hit his chest wound, grinded his teeth together, and clutched the tile wall with one hand for support.

Earlier in his mission he had been given a fatal stab to the chest with a kunai. His new healing abilities gained by the Kyuubi would have taken affect if it weren't for the fact that the blade plunged into him was laden with a heavy poison.

The poison would spread through the body internally, causing the person to bleed continuously from the outside, and then internally until they died.

Naruto wouldn't bother Tsunade with something as trivial as incessant blood loss. He could take care of it himself…somehow. Even though he had never had such a poison in him before, maybe he had an antidote?

Naruto cringed as the blood washed down his firm and slender chest, mingling with the tan shine underneath and splashing gold with crimson.

He watched as the blood feel into the water heavily, seeping down the drain. There was so much, Naruto thought for a second his blood was black.

He stood there, just letting the water wash away his blood, when gentle hands wrapped around his waist and a head lowered to rest on his shoulder.

Naruto silently cursed.

Shit.

Sai was NOT supposed to see him with such an injury, bleeding so much! He would surely get worried and then call Tsunade, whom would anxiously abandon her duties to check up on her "little brother".

Sai ran a hand up from Naruto's bare waist to his chest, grazing the outside of the wound with his fingertips.

Naruto hissed and his skin contracted at the jolt of pain he felt from the light touch.

"Naruto," Sai said as he lifted a bloody hand up to see, keeping it out of the range of the water.

"Does Tsunade know about this?"

Naruto didn't answer.

He watched Sai rinse the blood off his hand and wrap it back around Naruto's waist comfortingly.

Naruto realized that Sai still had his clothing on from the wet sleeve that hung off his wrist slightly. He must have heard Naruto's growling at hissing from pain and stepped in to see if he was alright.

"Naruto," Sai repeated, unaware of the shower water soaking his clothes through. "Please answer- Does Tsunade know about this?"

Naruto shook his head no this time.

"I can take care of it," he said. "It's just some poison. Kyuubi will heal it."

"If he could, why hasn't he already?" Sai asked.

"He just hasn't identified the poison yet. Once he does, he'll take care of it."

Sai sighed.

"Fine," he said. "But if you won't let Tsunade look at it, at lease let me call Sakura."

"No," Naruto said quickly. "I don't need her molesting me twice in one day."

"Wha-"

"Front gates," Naruto answered, knowing the question.

Sai growled a bit and pulled Naruto closer to him by his hips.

Naruto laughed a bit.

"Still want to call Sakura?" he asked playfully.

"No," Sai responded immediately.

"Knew you'd see it my way. I need to finish washing myself, ok?"

"Alright," Sai said, stepping out of the shower.

Naruto reached for the blue shampoo bottle on the rack, but hissed and withdrew his arm when he did.

The wound was at the base of his chest, making every stretch or movement shoot liquid fire through his veins

The bottle was suddenly taken from his hands as Sai appeared behind him, his wet clothes gone.

"I can do it myself, Sai," Naruto griped, but Sai shook his head.

"Number one, you can't. And number two, I needed a shower too," he said.

Sai grumbled something about cotton candy-haired bitches as he squirted the shampoo into his hands and lathered Naruto's golden locks with it, washing away flecks of blood and dirt unnoticed by the eye.

Naruto closed his eyes under the gentle caress over Sai's fingers, taking his mind off the hot pain surging through his chest and the crimson blood flowing down his skin.

Naruto hummed contentedly and purred- another side effect from merging with the Kyuubi.

Sai laughed. He _loved_ it when Naruto purred.

Sai let the water run over Naruto's soapy locks as he washed his own hair.

Naruto whined a bit at the loss of contact.

He turned around and pressed his body against Sai's, wrapping his arms around his neck and resting his head against the crook of his neck.

"I missed you," Naruto sighed, and Sai smiled.

"I missed you too," he said, rinsing the shampoo from his hair.

Sai jumped a bit as Naruto kissed and nibbled at his neck, purring more.

"N-Naruto," Sai said, trying to force down a groan.

"You're too tired."

"Mno mm nmot," Naruto mumbled against Sai's pale skin as he continued.

Sai closed his eyes, trying to calm himself so as not to jump the blonde right there.

"_Relax, relax. You haven't been with Naruto for two weeks. You can last a bit longer,"_ he told himself.

In reality he and Naruto had never gone "all the way". Sai never wanted to push Naruto into anything, since he was so busy and ultimately not ready, so they settled for heated make-outs.

But this was just _way_ to suggestive!

Sai reluctantly pushed Naruto away from him a bit as he grabbed the conditioner bottle and continued washing the blonde's hair.

"Sai, I'm not tired," Naruto whined.

Sai rolled his eyes.

"Ok," he said, and suddenly Naruto found himself pressed up against the tiled shower wall with Sai's lips on his own.

Naruto closed his eyes and placed his hands on Sai's firm chest, feeling the rifts and dips his muscles made in his skin.

Sai asked Naruto for entrance to his mouth, and Naruto eagerly complied.

He kissed Sai hungrily, burning for more and more contact as their tongues met and grappled together.

Naruto moaned as Sai rubbed his own bare leg against Naruto's, the friction making the shower water seem hotter.

Naruto basked in Sai's taste of warm honey and mint, coaxing his tongue to play more with his own.

Sai groaned as Naruto rubbed his tongue against the underside of Sai's, and Naruto smirked a bit. He knew all of Sai's soft spots.

Suddenly the taste was longer there and the friction was gone as Sai broke away from Naruto, both panting for air and a bit pink about the face.

Sai grabbed the conditioner again and finished washing his hair as Naruto caught his breath.

"Will that hold you out for a little while?" Sai asked, and Naruto pouted.

* * *

Naruto winced as Sai wrapped white bandages around his bare and still bleeding chest. He sat on the edge of his and Sai's bed as Sai sat behind him, continuing his ministrations. 

Naruto gripped the navy blue covers beneath his fingers tightly, suppressing the urge to shout out in agony.

"Almost done," Sai informed him, and a few seconds later he was.

Sai stood up and placed the bandages on the desk in their room, and grabbed the glass sitting there.

"Here, drink it," he said, holding it out to Naruto.

Naruto took the cup in his hands and grimaced at the purple liquid inside it.

"Bleh, what is this?" he asked.

"The antidote for the poison," Sai said. "I looked it up quickly while you were drying yourself.

Naruto sniffed the concoction and turned his head away.

"No way am I drinking this," he declared, and Sai rolled his eyes.

"C'mon Naruto," he urged, and Naruto shook his head.

"You're sleeping on the couch unless you do," Sai finally said, and with a glare Naruto gulped the fluid.

"Ek, gross!" he said when he had finished, handing Sai the cup and holding his throat.

"It's a very fast antidote," Sai said. "It should take affect in a minute or two."

"Wow," Naruto said, and he yawned.

Sai looked outside, and judging by the sky it was only 5:30. But what could it hurt to go to bed early?

"Let's sleep," Sai said, and Naruto nodded.

Naruto removed his dark red pajama pants so that he was clad in his orange boxers, and got into bed.

Sai slipped in next to him, leaving his own black pajama pants on.

He pulled Naruto gently to his chest, being careful of his wound, and Naruto snuggled up next to him.

"Goodnight Naruto," Sai said. "Aishiteru."

Naruto didn't respond and Sai looked down.

The blonde was face asleep.

Sai chuckled. He placed a kiss on Naruto's forehead and cuddled closer to him as he too fell asleep.

* * *

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: X3**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune and Gomi-kun**


	3. Crimson Reflection

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None!**

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**Sky-eyed Kitsune and Gomi-kun blab & Updates**

……

**Gomi-kun: --peeks onstage— Er…..**

**Crowd: …… -.-**

**Gomi-kun: --sigh— Yea, I'm introducing the chapter, deal with it. Sky-eyed Kitsune is kinda sick right now, but even through her illness she finished typing this chapter, ansered her reviewers, and asked me to post it.**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: --in background—I'm –cough—ok! Really!**

**Gomi-kun: Shut up and get in bed or else no Dei-Dei plushie!**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: o.O**

**Gomi-kun: Anyways….there's a poll out for this fiction of a one-sided pairing you might want to see. Or else just say so in a review. Hn. Oh, and there's ****ALMOST LEMONS**** in this chapter. You'll see. Beware. There's no warning before it…hn.**

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**Reviewer Replies:**

**To Chibi Tsuki Hikari: Yesssssssssss, haha! XD Yes, Sakura was icky, but she gets a bit better. I REALLY didn't like her before, but she's ok in Shippuden. Still, SASUKE LOOOOVES NARUTO! ZOMG! Who saw the new opening for the latest Shippuden episode??? Sooooo shounen-ai!!! And Sai:D**

**To Lugga: Okey-dokey!**

**To vampire-anime-lover19: Wa! I am, I am! And as for Sasuke…..MWAHAHAHAHA! Yes, I'm going to make him work his ass off for Naru! XD**

**To shadowphoenix143: Ahhh, you hit on a major key to chapter two that will come into play here during Naruto's breakdown! –slaps mouth over hand— Wa! I mean…..WHO WANTS MUFFINS!?!**

**To hiya couldn't find a name: Aw, thanks!**

**To Darkspider: I know, Sai is kinda perverted, but I'm making him fuzzy and nice:D Thanks for the suggestion! I didn't uncheck it because I didn't want Spam. :( Loved your review!**

**To Black-Dranzer-1119: Indeed I will!**

**To moonwillow: --looks back at first line of chapter two— Hmm, I was kinda in the zone when I wrote that, so I don't remember what I was thinking! O.o**

**To t6hurw: Yes, Naruto is the new mega heart throb! Hooooot! XD**

**To xXkawaii-chanXx: Yes, I write a lot because I have no life outside of torturing Gomi-kun, my university, my family, my job, and my cat. T.T As for Sasuke…..—puts flashlight under face-- Mwhahahahahaha!!!**

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**Chapter Dedication**

**This one goes out to Darkspider, Chibi Tsuki Hikari, and vampire-anime-lover19 for their loverly reviews!!! X3**

**

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****A recommendation! To get the full emotion, play the song "Famous Last words" by My Chemical Romance during the third section of the story. –sniffle— Go to radioblog . com to listen for free. Just type in the song, artist name, or both. –runs off to sob--

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**

Chapter 3: Crimson Reflection

Naruto let out a small yelp as he grabbed his kunai from under his pillow in the middle of the night and turned to press it against the neck of the person that grabbed him.

Sai gulped as the sleek metal was shoved against his throat, drawing a bit of blood. He looked at Naruto, noticing his blue eye had bled into a deep crimson red, his whisker marks were a deeper black, and his teeth, curled in a snarl, had elongated into sharp canines.

"Naruto," Sai said calmly, and Naruto blinked a bit.

He lowered his weapon as Sai came into focus more in his sleep clouded mind.

"Sai?" he said groggily.

Sai just smiled.

Being an ANBU captain, Naruto looked after his squad with his life, sleeping only about two hours a night to watch out for them, even when another ANBU was placed on guard duty. He would not have anyone on his team die from surprise attacks. When he did sleep for that short period of time, he always had a weapon close, and he heightened his senses to that of the Kyuubi naturally before he slept, aware of every twig snapping and bush rustling in the wind.

His first instinct when being pulled around the middle was to hinder movement from the enemy doing so, and he had drawn his kunai out of reflex.

Naruto dropped the knife onto the mattress as he saw Sai clearly, his right eye fading back to sky blue.

Sai let out a breath.

"Sorry," he said. "You were shivering. I was just pulling you against me."

Naruto looked at the blood dripping down Sai's neck.

He leaned forward and kissed the spot, nestling his head into the crook of Sai's neck. Sai let out a soft hum as Naruto lapped at the blood, clearing the pale skin of the crimson stains. Sai also recognized this as another side affect from Naruto morphing with the Kyuubi.

Naruto was more animal-like all around actually.

As foxes were very territorial, this impacted onto Naruto protecting his home even more, driving out any intruders at first sight. As foxes were also known to have to obey an alpha male or female, to Naruto being Tsunade, if someone did not abide by her he would not hesitate to kill them.

When fighting Naruto used his incredibly heightened senses- stalking enemies, and if without a weapon and in his more dangerous fox-like form with sharper teeth, attacking the foe from the back, breaking their spinal cord with his teeth and killing them.

When around friends and family (Iruka, Tsunade), Naruto was protective, prone to naturally growl at strangers and walk around his group of friends in a circular manner, signaling others to be wary of the space around them and that he was guarding it.

But above anyone, Naruto was protective of his "mate" the most, in this case Sai. He would purr and nuzzle his mate to comfort them, protect them fiercely, lick at wounds and cuddle against them, and keep them close. Grooming was also a habit he displayed naturally to show unity, running his fingers through Sai's hair the most. But one side effect, good or bad depending how you looked at it…was the influence of his new fox hormones.

After being separated for a while, Naruto would show the need to be close and intimate with his mate, not leaving their side often. During the spring from December to April, Naruto would become very…erm…for lack of a better word, horny, it being the mating time for foxes in the wild. The very worst months for him were the second week of January and the last of February. Before these more intense periods of time he would stay at Iruka's and lock himself in the spare room there for the two weeks. He constantly paced and whined with frustration, but Iruka was used to the routine by now- Naruto told him every time NOT to let him out no matter what.

After returning from this "vacation", he would be grouchy and often disappear into the forest for a few days to vent his anger. Upon returning he would be back to normal.

And so, this cleaning of Sai's wound was not uncommon behavior, as Naruto was in tune and settled with his newly fox-morphed self.

Naruto leaned his head against Sai's shoulder, the blood gone, and bit his lip.

Sai pulled away from Naruto, feeling his shoulders tense with his repressed emotion, and looked at him with concerned eyes.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I'm sorry," Naruto said quietly. "I could've really hurt you…"

Sai smiled and removed the kunai on the mattress. He pulled Naruto close to him.

"It's what you were trained to do, Naruto," he said. "I wouldn't expect any less form an ANBU captain."

Naruto smiled and nuzzled against Sai's neck back in forth in a fox-like manner apologetically, purring softly.

"I'm still sorry," he said.

This time it was Sai to show Naruto some fox-like affection.

Sai had wanted to learn Naruto's behavior since four years ago when he discovered his merge with the Kyuubi, and then two years later more in depth about vulpine manner with mates when he and Naruto became a couple.

Sai was quite fluent in this physical fox-speak, admiring how words weren't necessary to communicate.

Sai leaned his head down and nuzzled his cheek against Naruto's silken gold locks, making his way down to the underside of his chin, and Naruto closed his eyes and purred more.

"You do that perfectly now," Naruto said between hums of pleasure.

"Now? I didn't before?" Sai asked, his breath rippling across the tan skin on Naruto's neck.

"No," Naruto replied, laughing a bit. "You sucked."

"Hey, you told me I did fine!"

"Yea, fine…which to an ANBU captain is not good. You should know that."

Sai pouted a little.

* * *

Scuffed black ninja shoes kicked up the dust, walking during the wee hours of the morning. Shoddy brown licks of hair framed a dark tan face, bleeding red triangles under dim coffee eyes. 

The man wore a russet top with black pants, an overall relaxed state.

Beside the man a large white wolf walked, in step with his master.

It suddenly barked and whimpered.

"I know we've been walking for a while," the man said, sighing.

Another bark.

"Because Naruto got back from his two week missions today. He's always up real early."

The wolf yapped a few times.

"I know he's with Sai! Geez Akamaru, do you always gotta remind me?" the man said, folding his arms across his chest.

The wolf sat down and stared intensely at his master.

The man stopped and turned back to look at the ninja dog.

"Who says I can't fall in love with my ANBU captain?" the man asked, and the dog named Akamaru snorted.

"Just because we were trained to hold back our emotions doesn't mean I can all the time…"

Akamaru rolled his eyes.

The man turned up his nose and continued.

"Where is that fox?" he growled to himself.

* * *

Naruto pivoted off of the trees, his weapons at the ready in his pouch and his ANBU mask secured. His black uniform was soaked with his own blood, a deep gash over his left eye. It bled, dripping down his more dominant whisker marks as his crimson eyes scanned the area. 

He was on a scent. He didn't know what it was, but he knew that he was getting closer to it.

As he jumped from the branches, the use of his feet gradually shifted to going on all fours, claws protruding from his hands and ripping at the bark he leapt from.

The scent suddenly grew so strong that it was overpowering, and Naruto stopped.

He fell down into the clearing he was above, landing neatly.

He looked around.

He was in a meadow. In front of him was a rushing waterfall with jagged rocks carved from the harsh elements. The only sound was the water and the faint rustle of the trees in the wind.

Naruto walked forward until he reached the edge of the lake the waterfall spilled into, and he dropped to his knees to look at his injured reflection.

His blood fell into the crystal clear water, rippling his reflection with crimson life. When it settled Naruto's eyes widened. He saw not a slender and handsome twenty-two year old man with glowing red eyes, but a thirteen-year old with a bright shock of untamed yellow hair, flamboyant orange clothes and a bright sky blue gaze.

Naruto touched his face, his younger visage unperturbed by the small whisker marks where the ones on his older face were more predominant.

His reflection on the water mimicked him, brushing fingers against its cheek, face in awe.

Naruto stood up, still looking over the water, and his younger self followed.

"Hn. Dobe."

Naruto's breath caught in his throat as he heard a cold immature voice call him his scornful nickname.

"_It can't be,"_ he thought to himself. _"No…no….no…"_

"Oi, usuratonkachi," the voice said again, louder this time.

Naruto didn't want to turn around. He didn't want to see the face that voice belonged to. He didn't want to hurt again like that.

Suddenly Naruto was turned around, and cold onyx eyes clashed with rippling azure.

Naruto stared at the younger face of his former friend, rival, and first love.

"Sas….u….ke," Naruto breathed, and clapped a hand over his mouth as his eyes widened.

Why was his voice so much higher? So immature? And…why did he see bright sunshine yellow locks above his eyes instead of gold?

Naruto looked down at his clothes, and orange blinded his vision.

He tugged at his shorter and lighter hair frantically and touched his face, feeling the much thinner whisker marks.

Naruto rushed over to his mirror image in the water, throwing himself to his knees, and his thirteen-year old self stared back at him again, devoid of the blood that had previously stained his body.

"Dobe, what are you doing?" Sasuke asked scornfully, stuffing his fists into his white shorts.

Naruto stood up abruptly and turned from his reflection. He ripped off his jacket and threw it to the ground, revealing a black tee-shirt. He looked down at it, tugging at the dark fabric, and suddenly stopped. He raised his smaller tanned hands to his eyes. They shook as he stared at them with fear and disbelief.

"You're such a moron," Sasuke sighed, rolling his eyes. Naruto looked at him, only to see a more rugged eighteen year old Sasuke in the younger Uchiha's place.

Naruto looked at himself again, only to look down at a subordinate ANBU uniform. Naruto moved his gaze back up to meet Sasuke's. He wore a black version of the uniform of Orochimaru's followers, a katana at his side and the curse mark visible on his neck.

"Dobe," the older Sasuke said, his voice smooth and uncaring. He walked forward until he was only an inch from Naruto, staring him in his half crimson and blue and eyes. He placed a pale hand on Naruto's cheek, and the blonde ANBU felt shivers rise up his spine.

"Sasuke," Naruto said, and Sasuke inched his face closer to Naruto's until they were a centimeter apart.

"Naruto," Sasuke replied, and the small distance between the two shinobi was closed.

Naruto's eyes widened as he felt the soft caress of Sasuke's lips against his own, and two hands positioned themselves on his hips.

Naruto shut his eyes tightly.

He could feel the pain already; bubbling up inside of him and wrenching open his wounded heart. This couldn't be real, yet he could feel the warmth of Sasuke's breath, the sensation of his soft lips…everything.

Naruto's legs became weak, and he wrapped his arms around Sasuke's neck for support as the Uchiha kissed him more passionately now.

Tears started flowing from Naruto's eyes as he felt the sleek black hair on the back of Sasuke's neck between his fingers, and he gripped it tightly, relishing the feeling.

He moved one hand to cup Sasuke's cheek as he kissed him back now, his other hands staying at the back of his neck, nested in his hair to press him into the kiss more.

Suddenly Naruto gasped as a pain shot through his chest. He looked at Sasuke's impassive face, now younger yet again.

Naruto looked down at himself and saw his black and orange jumpsuit……with Sasuke's katana piercing through him.

Naruto coughed up blood as Sasuke smirked and pulled out his crimson sword.

"Dobe," he said.

Naruto backed up a bit, wobbling as he did.

His vision went blurry for a moment, and when it focused again a second later, he saw the Uchiha's thirteen-year old form again, a crackling Chidori screaming in his hand, his eyes red and enraged.

They were no longer at the meadow, but the Valley of End, standing on the carved heads of two Shinobi, the waterfall rushing below.

"Sasu…….ke," Naruto breathed, his new younger body taking with him the wound the older teen Sasuke had given him.

Sasuke smirked, and with a strong thrust of his hand, he pierced Naruto's chest again, this time directly through the heart.

Naruto didn't even flinch as Sasuke pulled his bloody arm out of him. He felt the pain swimming over him, numbing him, and his soul let out a silent scream as he fell off the mountain, tumbling over the air and crashing into the water below.

He hung there in the water, his blood seeping around him and turning his vision red. He looked up as he began to sink lower and reached a hand skyward.

The last thing he saw was Sasuke standing on the water above him, smirking.

"Dobe."

* * *

Konoha shook as the sun peeked over the horizon and a cry of agony carried over the hills and rustled the trees, the birds flapping away from them frantically. 

Naruto sat up in his bed, panting. Beads of crystal sweat ran down his toned and slender chest as it rose up and down with his fast breathing.

Naruto looked to his left.

Sai had already gone, having a mission early that morning with his spy team.

Naruto whipped the covers off of himself and ran to the bathroom. He spilled onto his knees over the toilet as he hurled until there was nothing left in his stomach.

He stood up shakily, grabbing the sides of the white bathroom sink, and looked at the mirror facing him.

He focused on his chest, one mark in particular that was just to the right of where his heart would be- a white spiral scar invaded his skin there, the wound having been previously pierced through the rest of his chest by a certain younger Uchiha…

Naruto hurled out his fist and punched the mirror, shattering it into a thousand shimmering pieces, tearing at his face, chest, and other exposed skin as they clattered to the ground.

Naruto looked at his fist, his knuckles dripping with blood, and then let it fall to his side again.

The only sound in the room was the gentle pat of blood against shards of glass

* * *

"Hm?" 

Three figures with black cloaks paused in their conversation with the fifth Hokage as they heard a scream echo through Konoha, and the birds fled, shrieking as they flapped together and away in large groups.

The four of them stayed still and quiet for a moment, before a figure on the left broke the silence.

"What was that?" he asked. Another cloaked figure shrugged, but one met the Hokage's gaze.

She nodded, and Sai threw off his cloak, disappearing in a puff of smoke.

* * *

Naruto fell to his knees, panting heavily as he knocked away his last kage bushin out of the total 300 he had conjured to fight against. 

Numerous kunai cuts and rasengan burns lined his body. His black shirt was ripped, revealing crimson stained skin, and his eyes were bright red. They faded back to blue as Naruto let himself kilter off from his knees, landing on his back in his weakness.

Blood…there seemed to be so much of his own blood that it overwhelmed him. But then again, any damage inflicted to his clones ultimately came back to burden his real body when they disappeared.

"_Kit, you've gotta stop doing this," _the voice of the Kyuubi said in Naruto mind, thoroughly concerned.

"_What else can I do?"_ Naruto thought back to him.

Kyuubi didn't answer. What else _could_ he do?

There was only ever one way for Naruto to forget about Sasuke, and that was through extreme training. But even then those times in the past had never brought him to where he was now, on the brink of passing out from pain.

"Don't cry…" Naruto snarled at himself, digging his claws harshly into the earth beneath his hands, wrapping his fingers in the soil.

"ANBU captains don't cry…remember training…remember the shinobi rules…" Naruto continued, his eyes prickling with unshed suffering.

"Don't show emotion, don't be weak…"

Naruto's vision suddenly became blurry and his eyes drooped.

"_Kit! Don't black out now!"_ Kyuubi reprimanded. He would never let Naruto die from something as trivial as lack of blood, but if Tsunade found out that he had trained himself into submission, it was bye-bye long term missions. Naruto never particularly liked them because they kept him away from Sai, but they did let him clear his head, which is what he needed the most sometimes.

Kyuubi knew. He lived there.

Naruto closed his eyes and Kyuubi went on another spaz lecture.

"_I'm not passing out,"_ Naruto told him. _"I'm just resting my eyes…"

* * *

_

Kiba's nose twitched as he caught onto a familiar scent moving swiftly about 300 meters ahead of him.

"Gotcha!" he cried victoriously, taking off to trail the smell, when something else came to his noise.

"Blood?" Kiba said to no one in particular, his ninja dog Akamaru having abandoned him for a more meaningful use of a Thursday morning.

Kiba jumped down from the canopy of the trees a few minutes later, landing neatly in a secluded and cleared area of a forest just outside of Konoha.

Kiba gasped a bit as he saw Naruto there in the midst of puddles of his own blood, on his hands and knees as his body shook from weakness.

His head hung down, his golden locks stained with red spilling over his face.

"Naruto!" Kiba said, kneeling down in front of him.

Naruto raised his bright ruby eyes to meet Kiba's dark honey ones.

"Kiba?" he breathed.

"Naruto! What happened?" Kiba asked anxiously. "Were you ambushed? Surrounded?"

Naruto looked back to the ground as his eyes became distant.

"…nothing happened," he said quietly.

"Bull! I know something did, Naruto! What was it? Who did it!?"

"I did."

"When I find them I'm gonna…you?"

Kiba stared at Naruto in disbelief.

"Were you training?" he asked, and Naruto nodded.

Naruto winced as Kiba pulled him into an embrace.

"Don't hurt yourself like this Naruto!" Kiba growled, and Naruto didn't reply.

Kiba pulled back to look at his beautiful captain, flecked with blood and eyes glowing.

"Don't…scare me like that," Kiba said a bit more quietly, inching his face closer to Naruto's.

Naruto couldn't seem to muster the strength to speak, so instead he gave Kiba a quizzical look.

Kiba smirked a bit.

"Even battered like this, you're still as hot as hell," he said, and pressed his lips against Naruto's.

Naruto's eyes widened as Kiba bit and sucked at his lower lip, asking Naruto for entrance to his mouth.

Naruto pushed against Kiba's chest with his hands, trying to pry him away, but he felt too drained.

Kiba pinned Naruto to the ground, and Naruto closed his eyes and winced as his back hit the earth.

"Naruto," Kiba said, straddling the blonde.

"Off," Naruto managed to croak, opening his now enraged eyes.

Kiba grinned.

"Naruto, what do you see in Sai? Sure he's very good looking, but really, how could he understand an animal?" he said.

Naruto glared at Kiba, and the wolf-like man lowered his head to Naruto's neck, kissing it.

"Naruto, no one could ever understand you like I do….a fox and a wolf," Kiba purred. "I know what could _really _make you feel good. Sai for all I know could be a great kisser, but no one…."

Kiba pushed up Naruto's black ANBU shirt, and he winced as it scathed his bloody wounds.

Kiba brushed the edge of his lips against Naruto's lower stomach and dragged them up to his torso.

Naruto let out an involuntarily shudder.

"…could make you shiver the way I can."

Kiba brought Naruto's shirt back down over his wounded chest as he attached himself to his collar bone.

"O-off!" Naruto croaked again, his throat burning with the effort.

Suddenly Kiba was ripped from Naruto and slammed against a tree.

"What the hell- Sai!?" Kiba said, staring into furious black eyes.

"Leave. NOW," Sai said, his voice deadly and promising death, and Kiba was gone in a white poof.

Naruto sat up, wincing, and Sai got on his knees in front of him.

"Naruto! Are you ok?" he said, anxious waves rippling off of him.

"Sai?" Naruto said, his vision becoming blurred again.

Sai enfolded Naruto in his arms gently, the blonde's head resting against his lover's chest.

"Naruto…why would you train so hard?" Sai asked quietly, stroking Naruto's stained locks.

"I was so worried…"

"Why would you want to worry so much about someone so weak?"

Sai pulled back as Naruto's eyes, one melded back into bright blue, searched his own.

"Naruto, don't ever say that," Sai said firmly. "You're not weak. You never were and never will be. You're captain of the ANBU squad, one of the top ninja in Konoha, and the soon to be Rokudaime. What would you have to feel so weak about?"

Naruto looked to the ground, but Sai tilted his chin up to look at him.

"Sai…" Naruto said quietly. "If you weren't there all those years ago when we were sixteen and met Sasuke again…I'd be dead."

"Wha-"

"I wouldn't have moved, Sai. Sasuke's sword….I would have stood there and let him kill me."

"Naruto…."

"When we were thirteen, I could have showed my true potential instead of holding back. But I just hung there in his grasp and let him punch his chidori through me. It was only by his choice that I was left alive. Even yesterday, if you hadn't look up that poison….I would have just bled to death."

"Naruto, this doesn't make you weak-"

"It does!" Naruto said. "I…couldn't do anything. I would let myself die so easily without a second thought, when I should fight on. But…"

Naruto shook his head as tears clouded his vision and finally spilled down his face.

"I feel so weak, that I can't…just look at me now."

"Naruto-" Sai tried again.

"Look at me!" Naruto cried, locking his gaze with Sai's again.

"I am looking at you Naruto," Sai said, cupping Naruto's face and wiping away his tears.

"And I see someone so brave, so strong…anything but weak. Someone who keeps on fighting even when everything seems to be against him, even himself."

Naruto stared at Sai with wide eyes as his sadness continued to spill down his face, only to be cleared away by Sai's delicate touch.

"Everyone feels weak sometimes, Naruto," Sai said softly. "Even trained ANBU captains need to cry sometimes. But when you do…I want to be the one to be there for you."

Sai reached into his pocket and pulled out a dark blue velvet box. He opened it to Naruto, and his eyes widened.

On the velvet was a shining silver ring, twinkling in the rifts of sunlight that spilled through the canopy of trees overhead.

"Naruto," Sai said. "I love you so much. I don't know how I could ever forget such an important feeling, but you brought it back to me. I don't think that they explained this amazing emotion in anything I've ever read or heard. You mean the world to me…"

Naruto's eyes water even more at the sheer affection in Sai's words.

"I want you to wear this," Sai continued, taking the ring from its case. "I want you to know that no matter what, I'll always be there for you; that I will always love you. Please wear this Promise Ring. I have one too."

Sai held showed Naruto his left hand, and sure enough a shining silver strip was on his ring finger.

Naruto smiled, his pain disappearing as he nodded to Sai.

Sai smiled softly back as he placed the ring on Naruto's left ring finger.

He held Naruto close, and Naruto closed his eyes.

Everything seemed so much more…peaceful.

"Now if I could just keep that mutt away from you…" Sai suddenly grumbled, and Naruto laughed.

"Just mark me as your mate," Naruto said, and Sai pulled back to look at him. He was a bit amazed to see most of his minor wounds already healed by the Kyuubi, the blood dissolved and leaving the beautiful sun-kissed skin behind.

"How do I do that?" Sai asked.

"Basically just give me a hickey on the neck visible to him," Naruto replied.

"I give you plenty of hickeys. Where are they?" Sai asked, moving a bit of Naruto's hair to scan the back of his perfectly tanned neck.

"Healed by Kyuubi," Naruto said, and Sai frowned a bit.

"Won't he just heal it again if I give you a new one?" he said.

"If I tell him not to he won't."

"You let him before?"

"I'm NOT going on missions with my ANBU team constantly bugging me about the red marks on my neck and waggling their eyebrows at me."

"OK, but don't get rid of it this time, all right?"

"Yea, I'll tell Kyuubi- ah!"

Naruto yelped a bit as Sai attacked the vulnerable flesh near the front of his neck, kissing it gently and then applying more pressure as he began to nibble the spot.

"Nnn, Sai," Naruto said between hums and purrs. "In the- nnn- front? Neh…_everyone_ will see!"

"That's the point," Sai breathed against Naruto's skin as he continued adhering to the red spot on his neck.

Naruto groaned softly as Sai licked over the spot benevolently and suddenly started kissing back up Naruto's neck until he reached his lips and captured them softly.

Naruto felt Kyuubi's healing lift the main burden of the wounds from his body, and he gripped Sai's shirt as he kissed him back.

Sai pushed Naruto onto his back again, only this time much more gently than Kiba, as he started to kiss the blonde passionately.

Sai asked Naruto's mouth for entrance politely even though he knew he was welcome, and Naruto accepted him.

Sai's mouth burst with Naruto's sweet addictive flavor as he rubbed his tongue against the ANBU's, and Naruto moaned.

Sai memorized Naruto's mouth as he had done many times before going back to play some more with the blonde's tongue.

Naruto ran his hands down Sai's back, and then up again to twine them in his midnight black hair. He rubbed his left leg against Sai's right, causing the man to moan at the friction it created through the kiss.

"Neh…more Sai," Naruto pleaded.

Sai kissed the blonde senseless as he peeled Naruto's shirt back up his chest, breaking momentarily to discard it.

He reattached himself to the sore hickey on Naruto's neck, nibbling and kissing it more.

He moved down the golden kitsune's neck after the brief visit to the sore mark, and continued down to his abdomen. Now, what was it that he had briefly seen Kiba do to make Naruto shiver?

Naruto gasped as Sai brushed his lips up the blonde's torso, just barely scathing his skin, and he let out a long groan. It was such a simple motion, yet it appealed to his new animals senses and drove him crazy.

He closed his eyes, reveling in the sensation.

"Was that right?" Sai purred to Naruto, who hummed in return and didn't open his eyes as Sai began his ministrations again.

Naruto dug his fingers up Sai's shirt and trailed them along his chest, feeling the defined muscles chiseled out from his skin.

* * *

In his cage Kyuubi was focusing on healing his blonde kit's wounds, when his ears perked and his confinement shook violently. 

"_Kit! Kit!"_ he cried out. _"Kit! Something's happening, kit!"_

Naruto didn't have time to acknowledge as he tore his mouth away from Sai's and let out a shriek of pain.

"Naruto! What's wrong?" Sai asked anxiously as the blonde shut his eyes tightly and gripped the earth in anguish.

"Naruto, what hurts!?" Sai asked, running a hand gently over the ANBU captain's arms and down his torso, searching for major injuries.

Naruto gasped and suppressed a scream as Sai reached his abdomen.

Sai's mind went into a bit of a panic as he saw the black seal symbols around Naruto's belly button pulse red and swirl dangerously.

Sai scooped Naruto up in his arms quickly and made his way to Tsunade's office as fast as he could, when a weak hand tugged his shirt and he stopped.

"Don't…" Naruto pleaded weakly.

"Naruto, we need to see what this is," Sai insisted, but Naruto shook his head.

"I'm fine…I just need some rest," he said.

Sai argued with himself before sighing and carrying Naruto back home.

* * *

Sasuke pivoted off a branch, chipping the bark under his feet as he moved.He faltered a bit as his body begged for rest, and he gave it its first salvation for the last six hours of straight travel. 

He sat on the ground and caught his breath, remembering to hide his chakra signature just in case.

Sasuke looked up at the sky. It never looked as bright as it had been in Naruto's eyes.

"_Soon I'll see those eyes,"_ he thought. _"If I keep going like this, I'll arrive at Konoha by nightfall."_

Suddenly Sasuke's eyes widened a bit.

What if the village wouldn't take him back? Sure, he had been their last Uchiha and wonderful prodigy, but he was also their vile betrayer. Would the good really outweigh the bad?

What was the name of that Hokage again? Tsu something…oh yea, Tsunade. Would she allow him to come back? And what about the council?

What about Naruto?

Would he stand up for Sasuke? Go to his defense?

It made all the difference in the world.

* * *

"I'm fine, geez!" Naruto said as he slammed his front door in Shikamaru's face. 

"So troublesome," he heard him sigh behind the door.

Naruto retreated to his room and opened his dresser. Why did Sai have to send someone to look over him while he was on his mission? He was a freaking ANBU captain for God's sake! Soon to be Rokudaime!

Naruto sighed as he grabbed some clothes and went into the bathroom. He slipped on the attire and walked out only to bump into the number one lazy ninja in Konoha.

"Shikamaru!" Naruto said, agitated.

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow.

Naruto wore his black form fitting ANBU pants, shoeless, with a tight crimson tank top that outlined his firm and lithe figure and mad his tan glow. The necklace Tsunade gave him so long ago still hung loose around his collar.

"Wow," Shikamaru said. "No wonder Kiba was all over you."

Naruto blushed a bit as he made his way back to the den of his apartment.

"Not you too…" he whined, and Shikamaru shrugged.

"Don't think so. You're hot Naruto, but I don't like relationships. Too-"

"Troublesome?" Naruto suppled.

"Finally someone gets it," Shikamaru said as he made for the door.

"Well I just dropped by to check on you like a promised Sai. He was kinda worried about your seal."

Naruto rolled his eyes.

"He worries too much."

Shikamaru sighed as he closed the door and left Naruto alone.

Naruto looked outside as he unraveled some new mission scrolls on the coffee table.

It was about 10pm. Sai would be home in a few hours.

Naruto scanned over the scroll leisurely when his mind was prodded.

"_Kit?"_ Kyuubi asked.

"_Hm?"_ Naruto replied.

"_You might wanna have the old hag check out what's goin' on in here…somethin's not right."_

"_You worry too much Kyuu. I bet you and Sai would get along well."_

"_I'm serious Kit."_

"_So am I."_

Kyuubi snorted and the conversation ended.

* * *

Naruto continued to gaze over scroll after scroll, his eyes never leaving the kanji, until his eyes started to droop, and an hour later he was fast asleep. 

Naruto walked through the forest in his everyday attire of black pants, sandals, and a dark orange and black long-sleeved shirt. His hair hung loose, hovering above his shoulders as he trekked onward peacefully. He knew this forest; he came often to relax and think.

Naruto turned sharply as he heard rustling beside him. He instinctively reached for his kunai, only to find that his weapon's pouch was gone.

Naruto backed up a bit as a twenty-two year old Sasuke trudged forth, wounds littering his body.

"Naruto…" Sasuke breathed, his eyes meeting Naruto's.

Naruto felt a stab of pain in his chest and he closed his eyes. Not again…not again!

"Help, please…" Sasuke begged, falling to his knees in front of the blonde.

Naruto looked down at him, horrified at the sight. Where was the strong and arrogant Sasuke he knew so well?

"Sasuke," Naruto said, and as he did, his world suddenly tossed and flipped, becoming distorted as he opened his eyes.

* * *

Naruto opened his eyes groggily as Sai picked him up from the couch and carried him to bed.

"Sai?" Naruto said as he was laid gently on the covers.

"Sorry, did I wake you?" Sai asked. "You fell asleep on the couch with scrolls on your lap."

Naruto grinned a bit stupidly as he said, "Yea, sorry about that."

"How are you feeling?"

"Better."

He sat up.

"How was the mission?"

"Boring," Sai answered as he removed his shirt and pants, trading them in for his black night attire.

He slipped in bed beside Naruto as the blonde laid back again.

"I was on sentry this time while Shino and Tenten infiltrated the area."

"So then, you're not tired?" Naruto asked.

"For once, no," Sai said. "Why?"

"Because I have something much more useful for you to put your energy into."

"Wha-" Sai was cut off as Naruto suddenly straddled him and attached his lips to his own.

After a split second Sai kissed back, one hand on Naruto's chest and the other pressing his neck forward.

Sai felt Naruto slip back a bit meekly, and he decided to take over the kiss. He flipped Naruto over a bit roughly, this time with a leg on each side of Naruto, and kissed him passionately.

Short breaths and gasps filled the air space as they continued, their bodies hot against each other.

Naruto gripped Sai's shirt tightly as their tongues grappled, and in a second the article of clothing was tossed away.

Sai moved down to kiss Naruto's neck, nuzzling and nibbling it as he removed his tank top. He broke to throw it off, and then dove back into the recesses of the blonde's mouth.

Naruto rubbed his leg against Sai's both of them moaning from the sensation, and Naruto decided that he wanted to feel their skin clash there instead of the fabric between them.

Naruto pushed Sai up, kissing him keenly, and they both straightened until they were sitting up on their knees on the bed.

Naruto pulled away from Sai's mouth and seized his hips by his hands. Sai gave him a quizzical and disappointed look until Naruto rocked his own hips against Sai's, grinding them together and brushing their covered hards against each other.

"Gods Naruto…" Sai groaned as the friction enticed him and drove him wild.

He whipped out his own hands and clutched Naruto's hips and grinded them against his own faster.

Naruto moaned and threw his head back a bit. Then, remembering his hatred for the clothing between them, he attached his lips to Sai's neck.

Sai groaned again as his kissed down to his collar bone and nibbled at it, brushing his tongue against the red mark growing there occasionally.

Naruto hooked his thumbs on the sides of Sai's pants, and he moved one hand to undo the zipper there.

"Neh…Naruto," Sai breathed as Naruto ripped off his pants and discarded them, leaving only black boxers.

Sai pushed the blond roughly back on the bed and leaned down to whisper to him, "My turn."

Sai kissed down Naruto's chest, careful to avoid the Kyuubi's seal below, just in case. He slipped Naruto's black ANBU pants down slowly, decreasing his kissing speed to match, and Naruto growled.

"Sai…too slow," he said, and Sai grinned at him before kissing back up Naruto's chest, stopping to lap at his neck with his tongue. He finally removed Naruto's pants, and the flushed blonde let out a sigh.

He wrapped his arms around Sai's neck and pulled him down to kiss him fast and hard. Sai slipped a bare leg in between Naruto's intertwining their limbs, and he rubbed them together. They both broke the kiss to let out a lengthily moan before returning to their fanatical kissing.

Naruto gasped as Sai bit his lip and moved his tongue to soothe it afterwards. Naruto twined his fingers in Sai's hair, combing his fingers through it as they groaned and panted.

Naruto whined as he begged for more friction, and Sai ran his body slowly up Naruto's drawing out the sensation.

Naruto suddenly grabbed Sai's hands that were running up his waste and pressed them to the edge of his own dark orange and black boxers.

Sai's stopped and pulled away, his own eyes meeting Naruto's as they both panted and caught their breaths briefly.

Sai wrapped his arms around Naruto's waist as he dipped back down to the blonde's mouth, their bodies pressed up against each other. Sai moved to Naruto's neck as he said,

"Nn…Naruto, are you sure? Are you ready?"

Naruto thrust his hip upwards to Sai so that his hard hit the black-haired man's, and Sai couldn't suppress a groan.

"Does that feel like I'm ready?" Naruto said, smiling at Sai.

Sai pulled back to return the smile, and he kissed Naruto softly as he hooked his thumbs on the orange boxers.

He started to pull down slowly as he sped up the kiss, and was about to feverishly rip away the rest of the fabric when-

"Yo!"

"AH!" Naruto shrieked as he fell over the side of the bed, his boxers still intact. Sai looked over to the window and saw Kakashi leaning against the wall there with his arms crossed leisurely.

"Kakashi," Sai growled. "What. Do. You. Want."

Kakashi winced as Sai ground out every syllable, each promising a beating later, but he didn't let his minute fear show. Instead his grinned so wide that it was clearly visible under his mask.

"Sorry, did I interrupt something?" he asked.

"Yes!" Sai shouted back, enraged.

Naruto let out a groan from the floor on the side of the bed unseen by Kakashi. Sai looked down at him from the edge of the mattress to find that he had landed quite awkwardly, his head and chest splayed against the floor as his feet came up from behind him and dangled over his head. It looked…very painful.

"Naruto?" Sai said, and the blonde groaned.

"Was that from pain or pleasure?" Kakashi chuckled.

"Pain," Sai hissed, glaring at the man.

"What. Do. You. Want."

"Actually I'm here for Naruto."

Naruto grunted, and Sai leaned over the bed to help him. He pulled the blonde up onto the bed and in his lap so that he faced Kakashi, and Naruto blushed madly.

"Sai," he griped quietly, emabarassed.

"Naruto," Kakashi said, catching the blonde's attention. "Tsunade needs you out on the northern border of Konoha near the front gate immediately with your troop. A missing rogue ninja has been spotted running in the direction of Konoha on foot quickly. By the chakra levels our jounin team gauged him sending off, he is very strong."

"Hai Kakashi," Naruto said, and he jumped from Sai's arms to grab his ANBU uniform from his dresser, retreating to the bathroom.

There was an uncomfortable silence as Sai glared at Kakashi.

"So, first time?" Kakashi asked.

"Shut it," Sai snapped.

* * *

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: Phew! Oooh, tell me what ONE SIDED pairing you'd like to see! XD**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune and Gomi-kun**


	4. Control

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None!**

* * *

**Sky-eyed Kitsune and Gomi-kun blab & Updates**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: I all better! X3**

**Gomi-kun: --rolls eyes—**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: Alrighie then! Updates, let's get to it! –looks at update sheet— Hmmmm…no updates? Ok then! –flings pocky to reviewers— Oh! For those people freaking out about my other fic S.T.R.A.Y cause I haven't submitted the next chappie, it's comin! I promise! XD**

**Oh, and there's more ****ALMOST LEMONS**** in this chappie again! ****I DO NOT WRITE LEMONS****, so don't expect anything super graphic.**

* * *

**Reviewer Replies:**

**To ****Chibi Tsuki Hikari****: Zomg! I absolutely luuuuv your review!!! It made me sad that I didn't write more for you! T.T**

**To ****Black-Dranzer-1119****: Arigatou! I will update soon!**

**To ****Joan Mistress of Magic****: Wa! Poor Sai! T.T But I totally feel your pain. I luv Sasunaru, but I made Sai so nice in this! Oh the drama!!!**

**To ****Pink Irish Clover****: I'm glad you liked it:D There might not be a lot of comedy in this fic, but I will try to insert it where I can! If you want some laughs, check out my other fanfic, S.T.R.A.Y! Thank you for the review!**

**To ****xxcriticxx****: I promise, there are no major character deaths in this fic! Oooo, one-sided gaanaru? Hmm, interesting…. –gets evil glint in eye—**

**To Darkspider: Kya! Loverly review! XD Hmm, I dunno if foxes are scared of dogs. O.o Lol! Yes, Sasuke is so emo. Bleh. But I still love timeskip sasunaru! Yes, I always thought different colored eyes were so cool! I actually have a pair of purple contacts, and I think it's fun to just put one in cause my other eye is green and freak people out! XD**

**To mmm.kai.mmm: Please, if you have any suggestions, WRITE 'EM! Ahem…I love input, so feel free to take up my whole reviewing page if you're burning for me to put in a scene! Lol! Thaaaaannkk yooouuu!**

**To shadowphoenix143: Yes, I hate fics where Naruto isn't very good looking and weak…so I made him the strongest and hottest village heartthrob! Lol! As for who Naru ends up with, I was pretty set on sasunaru, by I made Sai so fuzzy and nice, I don't know if I'll let myself do it! T.T**

**To Autumn Lawliet: A sasunaru fan! Lol! Hmm, you really think Naruto is still in love with Sasuke? No seriously, is he? Cause I don't even know! O.o**

**To xXkawaii-chanXx: Keep it kibanaru eh? Hm. Lol! Everyone love Naruto! HILARIOUS!**

**To ****Jonitsh316****: Kiba does have the major hots for Naru, that's for sure, but so does practically everyone his age. -- And Kiba's appearance will give to the story- that scene will have a comical effect later.**

**To Teh.Ra1n: ZOMG! YOUR REVIEW MADE ME SO PROUD! T.T**

* * *

**ONE-SIDED POLL RESULTS!**

**Sainaru: 3**

**Gaanaru: 2**

**Sasunaru: 1**

**Itanaru: 1**

**Only Kibanaru: 1**

**Hm..pretty spread out, with gaanaru and sainaru at the top. I started this off as sasunaru, but I made Sai so sweet! . Oh, the drama! –dramatic swoon— Hmmm…what will I do? Poll is still open, AND THERE IS A NEW ONE AT THE END!**

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**Chapter Dedication: This one is for The.Ra1n and ****Chibi Tsuki Hikari**** for their wonderful reviews and encouragement! LUV YOU!!!!**

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* * *

**Chapter 4: Control 

Naruto secured his ANBU fox mask in place as he nodded to Tsunade and headed out with his team.

They jumped through the trees swiftly and gracefully, all the while attaching radio collars to their necks.

"Test check! Can you all hear me?" Naruto said into his microphone as he pressed the button on his neck, even though his team was right behind him.

"H-ai!"

"Hai boss!"

"Hai!"

"Hai Rikka-kun!"

"Hai!

"HAI!"

"Troublesome…"

Naruto nodded and picked up the pace. Behind him was his six man cell:

Wearing the rabbit mask was Hinata Hyuuga. It came as a surprise to everyone when Hinata experienced her break through with the Byakugan and exceeded all expectations. On recommendation from Kurenai, Hinata passed the ANBU exam and accompanied the team as an experienced fighter and emergency medical ninja. She no longer pined for Naruto like almost every girl in Konoha, but helped him whenever she could.

In the coyote mask was Konohamaru, now at the age of eighteen. After three years of training with Naruto as his sensei, Konohamaru had surpassed his classmates (despite his pranks and foolishness) and had been recommended by Naruto himself to move up to the rank of an ANBU, completely skipping over being a jonin. The decision had scared Tsunade a little, afraid of loosing the young man, but Konohamaru had proven his worth and capability.

Neji Hyuuga wore the falcon mask. It wasn't hard to see why he was an ANBU, being the prodigy the Hyuuga clan never had but always wanted.

In the delicate cat mask was Ino. Once Sasuke had left, Ino was outraged that he had betrayed the village, but still continued shamelessly flirting with other Konoha shinobi in her age group. It was only after her father was killed in a raid from Otogakure that she finally opened her eyes and discovered what it truly meant to be a ninja. Since then she had dedicated her life to training, only flirting every once and a while. She had long gotten over Sasuke and was currently engaged to a certain Choji Akamichi. Naruto considered her a dear friend to him, and saw her as one he could always ask advice from.

Next was Kiba in the wolf mask. He had constantly trained and progressed with Akamaru over the years, and his family was proud to have him as an ANBU. At the age of eighteen Kiba had fallen for Naruto, even though he had always had a small crush on him since they were sixteen. But these were the years that he had finally started making advances. It was just a bonus that Naruto happened to become his ANBU captain, even if he was with Sai.

Lee wore the monkey mask beside Kiba. Despite the fact that Tsunade doubted that his legs work well enough to get him past the jonin level, Lee had trained day and night and gone past his limit. Gai had cried "Manly tears of YOUTH!!!" when he became an ANBU, and Lee was more than happy to be under Naruto's command.

Wearing the white and black deer mask was Shikamaru. The lazy ninja had been talked into being an ANBU after Asuma's death and with some prodding from Tsunade. Naruto was currently trying to get him to quit smoking.

Naruto's ears perked up and his crimson eyes flashed as he hung onto a strong chakra signature and an irrefutably familiar scent.

"_That smell….the smell of the wind, the snow…I know that smell,"_ Naruto thought as he changed his direction quickly, his team following.

"Rikka-kun! Have you found the scent?" Lee asked, using Naruto's code name.

"Hai," Naruto replied. "It's stronger than I thought. If we all come in at this ninja at once, even with our chakra concealed, I have a feeling that he will have means to detect us, by training or a kekei genkai."

The team nodded.

"Konohamaru! Kiba! Hinata-chan! Flag to the left and disperse! Shikamaru! Ino-chan! Lee! Neji! The right, and stay together by means of two pairs!"

Naruto ordered, and his team took off quickly.

* * *

Naruto followed the scent loyally, jumping through the trees quickly as his red eyes scanned the area for other shinobi. He was particularly skilled at night, his new fox-melded self being more nocturnal than anything.

Naruto stopped as the scent became unbearably strong. He held down the button on his radio collar as he spoke into the microphone.

"I'm closing in on him. There seems to be only one."

"Hai!" his team replied, and with a particularly forceful push on the next branch, he propelled himself forward.

* * *

Sasuke took in a deep breath, relishing the scent of the trees that he had been deprived of for so long, and he listened to the peaceful chirping of the crickets around him. Above the sky was crystal clear, the stars winking against the long stretch of black curtain.

Suddenly something sliced the air, and before he could even sense a chakra presence, there was one right behind him. An insanely powerful one.

A thin slice of metal was placed at his neck, and a kunai pressed into the flesh there threateningly.

"Uchiha Sasuke," a voice said, in the middle of low and high. "State your business here. Move and you will die."

Sasuke would have normally told the guy to buzz off and that it was none of his business, but more hostility was not what he needed on his record right now.

"I have returned to Konona to make a new life again…and mostly to see someone very important."

Sasuke winced a bit as the metal sliced over his skin a bit, drawing blood.

"Who?" the man behind him demanded.

"Uzumaki Naruto," Sasuke answered, cradling the name with his tongue.

The ANBU's stance shifted from shock, and Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"You know him, don't you?" he said, and the knife was immediately brought back to his neck harder this time, spilling more blood.

"That's none of your business Uchiha," the man snarled. "As regulation for all missing nins that return, you will be taken to the current Hokage, Tsunade-sama, and appear immediately before the council to plead your case. You have a seventy percent chance of being exiled or killed, and a thirty percent of being able to live back in Konoha again under temporary restrictions. I could kill you here on the spot Uchiha. So cooperate, do not speak, listen to my orders, and I'll take you to Tsunade."

Sasuke nodded to everything the man said, but he didn't release him. He heard a small click and crackle as the man said aloud,

"I need Shikamaru, Neji, and Ino here stat, N, NE three hundred meters from the front gate. The rest of you are dismissed."

"Hai!"

"H-hai."

"Hai Rikka-kun!"

"Troublesome."

"HAI!"

"Hai boss!"

"Hai."

There was a crackle as the other voices were shut off.

"So, Rikka-kun?" Sasuke asked.

"Shut it," the man called Rikka replied.

Judging by his commanding voice and intense chakra flow as well as the loyalty from his subordinates, Sasuke guess that this was the ANBU captain; someone not to mess with, but he probably would anyways.

Suddenly three more masked ANBU appeared, Ino, Shikamaru, and Neji, and they gasped.

"Sasuke-kun?" Ino breathed, stunned, and Sasuke nodded.

"Long time no see," Shikamaru said in a bored tone.

"Uchiha," Neji said.

"Hyuuga," Sasuke replied.

"That's enough," Rikka barked, and his team shut up immediately.

Sasuke was released, encircled by the ANBU, and he turned to look at the man that had so easily snuck up on him without warning.

He wore the traditional ANBU clothing, and it fit and lithe and slender form nicely. He was a bit shorter than average, but not by much, and untamed gold spikes fell around his fox mask.

"Let's move," Naruto said, walking up to the front and leading his group and their captive back to the village at a reasonable pace.

"_Naruto…_" Sasuke thought as he watched the familiar trees slowly pass him by.

"_I'm coming."

* * *

_

"OUTRAGEOUS!" an old man boomed as he stood up abruptly from his seat and slammed his hands on the long stretching table before him, nostrils flaring.

Sasuke stood silent in front of the council.

There was a circular table around him, himself in the middle to be able to face all of them, and the members sat around it, shouting and arguing with each other as they burst forth from their seats in outbursts.

The Hokage, Tsunade, who sat in the largest chair, sat there silent, her hands rubbing her temples soothingly as her face contorted in response to the rising volume in the room. Beside her stood and ANBU, Rikka, as Sasuke recognized by the mask. He had his hands behind his back, and Sasuke could _feel_ the patient aura radiating off of him. Why was he so calm when everyone else was in such a panic?

"QUIET!" Tsunade finally boomed, and the room became hushed.

"Sasuke," she addressed him. "You have betrayed Konoha and left us for Orochimaru…why should we let you come back? What are your reasons?"

"I want to start over here," Sasuke said. "But mostly…I came for Naruto."

There was a bubble of whispers in the room.

"But then again, you wouldn't care for that, would you?" Sasuke said, speaking to the whole council. "Naruto is worthless to all of you. Just a monster with no self control."

"INSOLENT BOY!" a withering man cried as he sprung up with gusto rarely seen among those his age.

"Uzumaki Naruto is a most beloved ANBU in this village, and soon to be the Rokudaime! It is true that we have made mistakes in the past, but that was before Naruto showed us his love for the village, and far he would go to protect it!"  
Sasuke was stunned.

Naruto was loved? Naruto was approved of by the council? Naruto…was to be the next Hokage?

Naruto could help but smile at that piece of news.

"Well Sasuke," Tsunade said. "Over all of the shouting and ramblings I've heard for the past twenty minutes, it seems the council is at a standstill, half in and again your favor. So I will reconcile this: Uchiha Sasuke, you are granted permission to live in Konoha once more, but you will adhere to these guidelines for the next two months: you will be accompanied by an ANBU or elite ninja day and night, you will not leave the borders of Konoha unless permitted by me and only with an ANBU, you will be given the rank of jounin and trained a group of genin……and if you betray us again and try to leave, you will be killed. For now, you will be sentenced to 24 hours of solitary confinement. Are we agreed?"

The council murmured and nodded their heads.

"Alright then. Meeting dismissed."

There were many poofs of white as most of the council disappeared, Tsunade, Sasuke and Rikka staying behind.

"Uchiha Sasuke," Tsunade said, standing up. "Say hello to your guardian Shiobi:"

With a poof a white-hair man reading a book appeared beside Sasuke.

"Yo," he said, not looking away from his novel.

"Kakashi will be your guide and guardian during the day. I'm sure that introductions are not necessary."

Sasuke nodded to Kakashi, who flipped a page in his book as a response.

"Now meet Rikka. Rikka-kun, please come here," Tsunade said, motioning the ANBU over, and he did as he was told.

He and Sasuke faced off, and Sasuke wished he could see the man's expression under his fox mask.

"Rikka is our ANBU captain," Tsunade said. "Kakashi has sentry duty at night, and Rikka is taking a break from three consecutive missions at the moment, so he'll be your nighttime guard. Rikka is also partially nocturnal, so he won't nod off on the job. He doesn't fool around though, so I'd keep the sarcasm down if I were you Uchiha. I'm not responsible if he kills you."

"Hn, like he could," Sasuke said, crossing his arms. He waited for Rikka to outburst or yell at him, but he didn't. He stood there impassively with his hands in his pockets and treated Sasuke's remark as white noise.

"I'm confident that he can," Tsunade said seriously. "But now you have solitary confinement for the next 24 hours, so please follow me."

"Tsunade-sama…I want to see Naruto," Sasuke said, looking into the woman's eyes.

Tsunade shook her head.

"Not now Sasuke," she said.

"Please…I just want to know how he is rig-"

"He's fine."

Sasuke looked at Rikka, and he repeated himself.

"Naruto…he's fine."

"Ah, yes, Rikka is _very_ close friends with Naruto," Tsunade said. "He knows Naruto better than he knows himself."

Sasuke growled a bit at the man. What was he doing with Naruto? How did he know him so well? Sasuke did not remember seeing him last time he had invaded Konoha with Otogakure. Wait…were he and Naruto _together!?_

Sasuke mulled over these things as he followed Tsunade, leaving his two guardian ninja behind.

Kakashi looked at Naruto as the young man moved his ANBU fox mask to the left side. His face was utterly unreadable.

"Naruto," Kakashi said. Naruto turned his eyes to look at his former sensei.

Kakashi was stunned to find them so empty.

"Daijobu desu ka?" Kakashi asked, but Naruto didn't respond. He seemed to be looked right through the white-haired man.

"Naruto!" Kakashi said, and Naruto blinked a few times.

"Nani?" he said, looking at Kakashi.

"Doushita?" Kakashi asked, concerned now.

"Nothing. I'm fine," Naruto said quietly.

"You were always bad at lying, Naruto," Kakashi said.

"Really, I'm ok…or I will be."

"If you're sure…"

"Hai."

* * *

Naruto closed the door to his bedroom and sighed.

He took off his shirt, mask and armor, leaving on his pants, and slipped back in bed next to Sai.

He looked at the man next to him, his face peaceful with his eyes shut softly and his breathing slow and steady.

Naruto wrapped his arms around Sai's middle and snuggled up to him, feeling the warmth from his body wash over his skin.

"Don't tell me you're asleep?" Naruto said, and Sai opened one eye to look down at the golden mat of hair. He smiled and ran a hand through Naruto's shimmering locks.

"I was," he said.

"I thought you weren't tired?" Naruto asked.

"I'm not. But I didn't really have anything else to do while I waited for you to return. Speaking of which, who was the missing nin?"

Naruto paused a moment, then he latched onto Sai's neck and nibbled the pale flesh there. Sai shivered and drew in a quick breath.

"No one important," Naruto said as he kissed the ashen skin, but as soon as the words came out of his mouth, Naruto felt a sharp pang in his heart.

"Naru, let's sleep. I'm sure you're tired," Sai said a bit reluctantly, when the room suddenly flipped upside-down and he saw a brief flash of gold as his lips were captured and tan hands ran up his bare chest.

It was true; Naruto was tired, but he would never leave Sai hanging like he had when he left, even if it was for a mission. And besides…Naruto wanted to forget.

He didn't want to remember Sasuke's face. It was just his imagination. He didn't want to remember his new mission to watch over the Uchiha at night. It all had to be another nightmare, and Sasuke was just biding his time before he killed him. And he especially didn't want to remember the feeling that ached in his heart when he met the handsome Uchiha's eyes…Sasuke was more breath taking than ever.

Naruto whined through the kiss when Sai didn't respond. He ran his tongue along the crease of Sai's lips, and was relieved when the man parted his lips to let Naruto's tongue swim in.

Sai placed his hands on Naruto's shoulders and pushed him back, their mouths making a smacking noise as they parted.

"Naruto," Sai said, locking eyes with him. "Something's wrong. What is it?"

"I'm fine," Naruto insisted, though his eyes told him otherwise.

"Naruto, you're eyes are both still red. Something _is_ wrong."

Naruto abruptly put a hand over the Kyuubi seal as it pulsed red.  
"Naruto! We need to take you to Tsunade!"

"I'm fine!" Naruto growled, an edge to his voice, and he crashed his lips against Sai's again.

Sai shut his eyes as Naruto kissed him harshly, digging his fingernails that had elongated to claws into his skin a bit as his whisker marks became more predominant. Sai tried to push Naruto away, feeling his enraged chakra start to seep out of his skin. Something was definitely up, and Sai had a feeling that it had to do with the Kyuubi seal.

"_Kit, stop!"_ Kyuubi shouted to Naruto. _"Stop it! What're you doing!?"_

Naruto ignored Kyuubi as he moved his lips down to latch onto Sai's neck.

Sai grit his teeth and gripped the sheets below him with his fingers as Naruto's sharp canines dug into the vulnerable and thin flesh at his neck roughly, drawing blood.

"_STOP! YOU'RE HURTING YOUR MATE!!!"_ Kyuubi cried in a last ditch effort as he reached out to Naruto's subconscious.

Sai opened his eyes, previously closed from pain, as Naruto suddenly stopped his biting and pulled away from Sai to look at him through a crimson gaze.

Naruto's right eye faded back to sparkling sky blue, and his left became less sinister though it stayed red. His claws drew back in and his whiskers became less black.

"Naruto?" Sai asked carefully, the blonde still straddling him as he looked down at him. Naruto dropped his head so that his hair covered his eyes, and suddenly something wet hit Sai's chest.

Sai reached out and cupped Naruto's face with his hands, leaning it back up to look at him. Sai's eyes widened a bit as he saw crystal tears fall down Naruto's tanned cheeks, his eyes filled with so much sorrow.

"Sai…" Naruto choked. "I-I'm so sorry…I don't know what happened."

Sai released Naruto's face as Naruto held up his hands to look at them.

"I just suddenly felt such a strong surge of enraged chakra…I couldn't control myself…" Naruto said as his tears continued.

Sai pulled Naruto down to the bed beside him and pulled him close.

"It's alright," he said softly, one hand wrapped protectively around Naruto's waist and the other stroking his hair soothingly.

Naruto put both of his hands on Sai's chest and cried silently.

"I can't believe I would-"

"You didn't," Sai cut him off. "It's not your fault. Something is going on with the Kyuubi's seal."

"I still can't-"

"Shhhh," Sai said, leaning his head down to nuzzle Naruto's neck in a fox-like manner.

"We'll go see Tsunade tomorrow for your physical and have her check things out, ne?"

Naruto nodded as his breath slowed with Sai's comforting motions. Then he remembered the harsh marks he had left on his lover's neck, and he pushed Sai back. Naruto reached up and licked at the blood on Sai's neck, clearing it away. He kissed the skin gently when he had finished.

"You might have that mark for a few days…" he said sadly, and Sai smiled.

"Let's just think of it as your mating mark for me," Sai said. He leaned down to the swollen hickey on Naruto's neck.

"I already gave you one after all," he breathed against it, and he attached his lips there.

Naruto gasped a bit and then groaned as Sai kissed and sucked at the mark, making it all the more red.

"S-Sai…" Naruto said pleadingly, and Sai went back up to capture Naruto's lips.

Sai asked Naruto for entrance to his mouth, finding it granted quickly, and he wasted no time in mapping out Naruto's mouth for the thousandth time.

Naruto ran his hands up and down Sai's chest, feeling the muscles chiseled in the ashen skin, and Sai arched into the sensational touch.

Sai rubbed his left bare leg against Naruto's, and Naruto wished that he had gotten into bed in only his boxers.

Sai moved dragged his body up Naruto's, their hards brushing briefly, and the duo moaned.

Sai kissed Naruto passionately as he slowly removed the blonde's black ANBU pants, taking the time to rub up the man's tan thigh when the article clothing had been discarded.

Naruto groaned and purred as Sai kept up the rubbing motion and kissed down Naruto's jaw line to suck lovingly at his collar bone. He gripped Sai's midnight hair, combing his fingers through the locks.

He suddenly yelped as Sai flipped him over so that his back was facing up, and Sai straddled him.

He kissed the back of Naruto's neck tenderly as he ran his hands up and down the utterly smooth and sun-kissed back and defined shoulder blades.

"Mmm..mm! Sai…" Naruto hummed, purring loudly.

Sai hooked his thumbs onto the back of Naruto's boxers, nibbling and nuzzling his golden neck.

"Neh…Sai, we can't- mmmm…I can't show up walking weird to Tsunade tomo- Nnmmm!" Naruto groaned as Sai's hot tongue darted out to lap at the skin on his neck affectionately, and Sai made a noise low in his throat that Naruto had taught him foxes made when with their mates.

Naruto buried his face in his pillow as he quieted a loud whine of pleasure, but Sai took the pillow and lifted it a bit so that Naruto couldn't cover his mouth with it.

"It's alright koi," Sai purred into Naruto's neck. "I don't mid if you make noise."

Sai returned to his kissing, and he slipped his hands down Naruto's boxers, kneading his bare hips with the heels of his palms. He made the low rippling noise in his throat again, and Naruto could feel it reverberate through his body.

"Nnnnn…hah….Sai," Naruto gasped.

Sai moved his hand from Naruto's hips back up to his waist and down again, nibbling the flesh on the back of Naruto's neck.

Naruto blushed hard (though it went unnoticed by his already flushed face) as he let out a loud groan and panted Sai's name a few times.

Sai turned Naruto over again, crashing their lips together with passion before it slowed down to become tender, and then feather light.

Sai moved off of his straddling position on the blonde and slipped under the covers next to him, pulling him close and wrapping his arms around his waist.

"Goodnight Naruto," Sai said, placing a kiss on his flushed partner's forehead. "Aishiteru."

Naruto smiled as he rested his head in the crook of Sai's neck and snuggled up to him.

"Aishiteru."

* * *

**I have the most excellent poll in the world now…mwahahaha!**

**Who should Naruto's "first time" be with? Sai or Sasuke? VOTE PEOPLE! –lightning in background—**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune and Gomi-kun**


	5. Wired

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None!**

* * *

**Sky-eyed Kitsune and Gomi-kun blab & Updates**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: Bleeerggg….I have a candy headache…**

**Gomi-kun: You didn't even go trick-or-treating! You bought that candy!!!**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: --gurgles—**

**Gomi-kun: --rolls eyes and looks at readers— What the hell are you looking at? Read or something!**

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**Reviewer Replies:**

**To EVERYONE!!!**

**Zomg! I had sooooo many reviews that I didn't know what to do! –flings hands in air—So I'm bunching everyone together this time around! –clears throat—ARIGATOU MINNA-SAN!!! –grabs every reviewer in MEGA GLOMP--**

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**POLL RESULTS!**

**One-sided Pairing:**

**Sainaru: 4**

**Gaanaru: 3**

**Sasunaru: 4**

**Itanaru: 2**

**Only Kibanaru: 2**

**Naru's "First Time"**

**Sai: 16**

**Sasuke: 17**

**Wow, zomg! Lots of people voted (including myself) and Sasuke won!!! But the poll is not the deciding factor- that's me! NEEEHH! What will I do??? Thank you all so much for being so supportive of my story and voting! Ah! I'm crying youthful tears of joy!!! T.T **

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**Chapter Dedication: **

**TO ABSOLUTELY EVERYONE WHO REVIEWED!!!**

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**Chapter 5: Wired**

Sasuke paced in his jail cell with his hands behind his back.

Why couldn't the sun come up faster already!? Naruto had been waiting for four years to see him again, and making him wait longer was torture!

Sasuke sighed and slid down the wall of his cell, plunking to the floor.

His mind suddenly shifted to Rikka, and he growled in his throat. What kind of relationship did he have with Naruto? What did Tsunade mean when she said "he know him better than he knows himself?" They couldn't be together…they just couldn't!

True, Sasuke had never confessed to the dobe, and the dobe hadn't confessed to him, but there was a connection! He knew it!

Sasuke closed his eyes.

But what if Naruto didn't see him like that? What if he really _was_ just trying to keep his promise to Sakura? Oh god, what if he was dating Sakura!?

Sasuke face-palmed.

No, he couldn't have. He gave up chasing him. He wouldn't break his promise to Sakura if he really loved her. Wait…what if he broke his promise because he met Rikka and fell in love with him instead of Sasuke!?

Sasuke groaned.

* * *

Naruto burrowed into the covers and snuggled next to the warmth beside him, breathing in the soothing smell of lavender and black kanji brush paint. Separate the scents were nothing, but together they were incredible.

Sai slowly opened his eyes, his body so warm and comfortable. He looked down a bit to see Naruto snuggled against his chest, sleeping peacefully. Sai smiled as he moved his hand resting around Naruto's waist up and down his bare back slowly.

Naruto purred and opened his eyes drowsily. He saw Sai's pale chest and smiled as he nuzzled against it.

"Ohayo," Sai said quietly.

"Ohayo…" Naruto replied sleepily.

"We need to get up and go to see Tsunade," Sai said, and Naruto groaned and buried his face in the crook of Sai's neck.

"I don't wanna…" he whined, and Sai chuckled.

"You need to, and I want you to."

"Nehh…."

Sai sat up and stretched out his arms when Naruto wrapped his own arms around Sai's neck.

"Come back to bed," Naruto said, his voice thick with sleep as he placed a kiss on Sai's neck.

"Koi," Sai said a bit more sternly now. "Don't make me drag you there."

"Hmph," Naruto said as he let go of Sai and pulled the covers over his head as he curled into a ball.

Sai rolled his eyes as he went to the dresser and slipped into a black shirt and pants; his traditional style he was known for minus the revealing belly shirt. He walked back to the bed when he had finished to see Naruto fast asleep again.

"Naruto, come on," Sai said, pulling the covers down from Naruto's grip. Naruto shivered and recoiled his body at the loss of warmth.

"Naruto, I'll carry you there through the streets of Konoha in your boxers if I need to," Sai said, and Naruto smirked.

"Yea right," he said, not opening his eyes. A yelp suddenly escaped him as something clutched his waist and he was tugged forward quickly. He landed on something hard, and he groaned and opened his eyes.

He saw the floor.

"Huh….WA!" Naruto shouted as he realized that he was hoisted over Sai's shoulder.

"SAI, YOU PUT ME DOWN!!!" Naruto sputtered loudly, flaying his arms every which way and kicking his feet a bit.

"Are you going to come with me to Tsunade's?" Sai asked, unfaltering under Naruto's struggles.

"NO!"

"Then it looks like I'm doing what I promised and carrying you there."

"You wouldn't," Naruto said, narrowing his eyes at the floor, when he suddenly heard a poof and white smoke surrounded him momentarily until it receded quickly and he saw the brown earth beneath him.

"SAAIIIIIIIII!" Naruto shouted, wriggling like a lunatic in his lovers grasp as he walked forward down the street leisurely.

All the heads of the villagers turned to see what the commotion was, and while some could contain themselves at the sight of their soon to be Hokage being carried through town in just orange and black boxers, others couldn't and burst out laughing.

"Sai…" Naruto hissed. "Put. Me. Down."

"You won't go to Tsunade if I do," Sai said as a group of teenage girl ninjas walked by them, giggling and blushing at the same time.

Let's face it. Everyone knew that Naruto was the damn hottest thing in Konoha.

This is exactly why Naruto heard the extra loud shriek of his fangirls that morning.

"NARUTO-KUUUUNN!"

Sai turned at the sound of Naruto's name being beckoned and Naruto face-palmed.

"Sai! Run you moron!" Naruto shouted, thrashing his arms about in an exasperated manner.

"Why?" Sai asked, but he was answered when a horde of fangirls whipped around the corner and stopped dead in their tracks.

They were speechless.

There was their beloved, their perfect Naru-kun being delivered to them like an angel from heaven, HALF FREAKING NAKED.

Many of the girls started to get nosebleeds and other open-mouthed drooled at the most _exquisite _view they had of Naruto's oh so perfect ass through his boxers and the sun-kissed skin stretching down his lithe back and defined shoulders.

Sai froze momentarily before catching on and very slowly put Naruto back down on his feet.

Naruto faced them, shirtless in all his glory, and a brunette in the back fainted.

FANGIRL VISION:

His skin was dipped with gold, beautiful and luxurious, and his delicate locks fell around his face and whiskered cheeks, bringing out his dazzling sky blue eyes. His arms and chest were slightly muscular and firm, not overwhelmed by an overpowered physique. A light brush of pink showed across the bridge of his nose, and…were those sparkles around him?

Yes! Beautiful sparkles were floating around him as the sun shone down on him like a brilliant light from heaven, illuminating the world with his godly glory! Naruto's soft pink lips curled into a smile, and he winked seductively at the girls, whom all emitted a squeal. Naruto moved a hand with such fluidity and grace as he flicked stray strands of shining golden hair away from his face and shook out his mane a bit.

END FANGIRL VISION

Sai looked from his terrified Kitsune to the quiet and awe struck fangirls who were growing redder by the second with their blushes.

What were they thinking?

Suddenly the one in the front let out a scream, and Sai blinked as Naruto zipped past him, the stampede of fangirls following.

* * *

Tsunade snored loudly at her desk, her face flat on top of a mission summary paper, leaving kanji marks on her skin.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

"Ubrahwha!?" Tsunade slurred as she lifted her head quickly from the desk, a paper sticking to her forehead.

"TSUNADE-SAMA!!!" came a shout through the fifth Hokage's double doors currently locked, coupled with other more feminine squeals.

"Go away!" Tsunade grumbled as she let her head hit the desk again, peeved that her nap was interrupted for something most likely stupid.  
"BAA-CHAN!"

Tsunade sprang from her desk at the now desperate call and cries.

Ok, THIS was important.

Tsunade unlocked the door and threw it open, and a blob of gold came rushing in. Tsunade slammed the door as soon as she saw the hungry pack of fangirls walking towards it, many hitting their faces against it.

"TSUNADE-SAMA, GIVE NARU-KUN BACK!"

"Narutoooooo-kuuuuunn!"

"Naru-love! Come out!"

They all cried.

Tsunade sighed as she turned around, and her eyes bugged out of her head.

There was Naruto, collapsed on the floor in only his boxers, panting and sweaty.

Tsunade bit her lip, but nothing could have prevented her laughter at that point.

"BWAHAHAHAHA! NARUTO! YOU LOOK RIDICULOUS! BWUAHAHA!"

Naruto laid an arm over his eyes, covering his blush as he caught his breath.

"Old hag…" he breathed, but Tsunade didn't catch it through her thunderous laughter.

But the cackling was short-lived, as Tsunade heard the doorknob jiggle fervently.

"Stay back Naruto…" Tsunade said, edging her way to the door. She peeked through the peep hole there, and a grin wide grin made its way across her face.

"Oh no! Not more fangirls!" she said dramatically, and Naruto sat up in horror.

"Naruto, they're strong!" Tsunade said as the door started to bang and wriggle with force.

Naruto's eyes grew huge and Tsunade snickered as she quickly unlocked the door.

"NO! RUN NARUTO!" Tsunade cried as a flash of black rushed in.

Naruto yelped as he was tackled and pinned against the wall.

"AH! NO!" Naruto cried, shutting his eyes immediately and trying to wriggle away from the strong hands that held him firmly to the wall.

"Looks like I got you Naru-chan," a soft and MASCULINE voice said, and Naruto felt a pair of lips press up gently against his own.

Naruto's eyes flashed open, but they settled when he saw it was Sai kissing him.

Sai pulled away after the brief lip-lock, only to receive a swift punch in the gut.

"W-what was that for!?" Sai asked, and Naruto pointed an accusing finger at Tsunade.

"For playing along with her!!!" he cried, and Tsunade plastered on an innocent face.

"Who, me?" she said in a sickly sweet voice. "Never Naruto-kun!"

"I can't believe you would-!"

Naruto was cut off as he felt Sai's lips close over his own once more and his own tan body was pulled close to Sai's.

Sai licked the crease of Naruto's lips, but Naruto didn't grant him entrance; He was still peeved.

Sai realized this and he attached his lips to Naruto's neck, nibbling it gently and making a low sound in his throat as an apology.

Naruto's eyes moved to half-mast as he forgave Sai quickly and placed his hands on his chest, purring.

"Hey! No making out in my office!" Tsunade said, finally over her laughing spaz.

Suddenly the door handle jiggled once more and a loud voice erupted,

"Tsunade! I brought Sake, and the mission report! Haha!"

"Table! Now!" Tsunade ordered to the duo.

Naruto gave her a confused look, but Sai nodded and pulled Naruto underneath the Hokage's desk just as the door flew open and Jiraiya sauntered in.

"See! Saaakkkee!" the old man sang, holding up a bottle and shaking it back and forth.

"The mission report?" Tsunade asked, swiping the bottle. Jiraiya handed over the file and Tsunade placed it on her desk.

"How did it go?" she asked, rummaging through one of her drawers for two glasses.

"Good. Sungakure is doing well and has long recovered from the explosion mishap during-"

"Nnnn! Nn!" the tabled groaned, and Tsunade coughed loudly.

"Sorry," she said quickly, then grit out. "I might be catching a COLD."

"Then maybe I should take back that sake," Jiraiya said, and Tsunade held the bottle protectively against her humongous chest.

"No," she said. She retrieved the glasses and placed them on the desk.

"You were saying?" she said, uncapping the alcohol and pouring it into the glasses.

"Right…well, Sungakure has fully recovered and is no longer in need of-"

CRASH!

The table jarred quickly and a glass was sent smashing to the floor.

"What was that?" Jiraiya asked, and Tsunade glared at the table.

"This desk is just UNSTABLE is all…" she said sternly, and gave said desk a swift kick.

"Maybe I should go…I'll come back later," Jiraiya said. With that he grabbed the bottle of sake and left.

"Hey! At least leave the sake!!!" Tsunade cried desperately after him. When she received no reply she whipped around to her desk, and with one hand she flipped it over.

"B-baa-chan!" Naruto stuttered, blushing.

Naruto was flat on the floor, his back against the wood, while Sai straddled his hips and licked at his collar bone.

"YOU MADE ME MISS MY SAKE! MY _SAKE!!!"_ Tsunade shouted, torn between anger and sadness.

"You! Physical! NOW!"

Tsunade pulled Naruto out from under Sai swiftly, causing him to bump his face on the floor.

"Baa-chan!" Naruto said angrily as Tsunade dragged him out of her office and up another floor to a special medical room.

"If I loose my sake then you loose your Sai!" Tsunade said as she threw Naruto into the special medical room, following behind and slamming the door.

* * *

Sai paced in Tsunade's office impatiently, flicking his gaze to the clock overhead of her (upside-down) desk every five seconds.

It had been two and a half hours since Tsunade had started Naruto's physical. It usually only took one hour, even with the tubes and wires Naruto had to have attached to his body to examine his and Kyuubi's chakra flow as they mingled together in his body.

The door clicked open and Sai spun around.

"How is Naruto?" Sai asked quickly as he saw Tsunade.

Tsunade paused and lifted a hand to her temple. "Not good," she said truthfully, and Sai was out of the room in a flash.

Sai rushed inside the special medical room and his eyes widened at what he saw.

Naruto was lying on the silver examination table, still in his boxers, with wires connected to several places under his skin and an IV drip on his left wrist. Over his mouth Naruto wore an oxygen mask, feeding him pure and precious life. Beside him were two machines- one was the standard heart-rate device that beeped steadily, and next to it was what looked like a chart drawing itself out. There were two lines, one blue and one red, that constantly zigzagged up and down, the red passing the blue more frequently. Naruto speared to be unconscious.

"It's the Kyuubi."

Sai turned around, distressed out of his mind, to see Tsunade enter the room.

Tsunade pointed to the second chart-like machine.

"This is a chakra gauge for Naruto's body, measuring the natural flow of his chakra unstressed. The red is Kyuubi's and the blue is Naruto's," she said.

Sai nodded and she continued.

"When Naruto began to merge with the Kyuubi, the chakra levels came closer together, until they were both level when he had fully merged. I wouldn't expect much from a small drop or gain in either Kyuubi or Naruto's chakra levels…but this is much different. As you can see, Kyuubi's chakra has been having great spurts, at which time Naruto's chakra level drops dangerously low. This indicates all the more possibility of the Kyuubi taking over Naruto, whether or not it's intentional.

"This is ultimately a problem here…"

Tsunade pointed to Naruto's stomach where the Kyuubi's black seal was. On each point of the seal there were dark blue wires attached under Naruto's skin that fed into the chakra gauge, along with many other wires.

"In short terms…the seal is breaking."

Sai's breath hitched in his throat.

"Can't perform jutsu to make the seal stronger?" he asked, walking over to Naruto's side and brushing his hand lightly against his sun-kissed and whiskered cheek.

"Yes…but it's risky and would take hours, not to mention drain Naruto," Tsunade said. "I'm keeping him overnight for observations. The chakra gauge will tell me how serious the current state of the seal is."

"Tsunade-sama, please, may I stay with Naruto?"

Tsunade sighed.

"You have an important mission this afternoon Sai," she said sadly. "Tenten and Shino need you out there. You're the main chess piece tonight, not just a sentry. I know that you love Naruto very much, but don't you think he'd want you to go on your mission instead of worrying about him?"

Sai looked down to Naruto, tracing his whisker marks gently with his fingers.

"Hai," he said quietly.

Tsunade nodded as she left the room.

Sai pulled up a stool next to Naruto's bed and his intertwined his hand with the blonde's.

"I'll stay as long as I can, Naruto…" he said sadly, leaning over to place a feather light kiss on his love's cheek.

* * *

"Alright Uchiha, your 24 hours is up," Tsunade said as she faced Sasuke very late that evening.

"Hai," the Uchiha replied to her.

"Don't forget- you will be accompanied day and night by Rikka-kun and Kakashi-san, will not be permitted to leave Konoha unless under my consent, you will retain the title of jounin until further notice, and you will be training a team of genin to show your loyality to Konoha and its future."

"Hai," Sasuke repeated firmly. "Tsunade-sama, where is Rikka-kun?"

Tsunade stopped and she mentally smacked her forehead.

"That's right…Rikka-kun will not be able to join us tonight. Something…unexpected….came up. Kakashi-san will be here in a few minutes to be your night sentry."

Sasuke nodded.

"Alright then. When Kakashi-san arrives, you are dismissed Uchiha-san."

"Arigatou Tsunade-sama," Sasuke said, bowing to the fifth Hokage. "Tsunade-sama?"

"Nani ka?" Tsunade said, not looking up from the paperwork her pen scribbled fervently against.

"I know that I have no grounds asking this, but-"

"Then why _are_ you asking, Uchiha-san?" Tsunade said, eyes still glued to her work.

"Because I think my heart will rip in two if I don't," Sasuke said quietly.

Tsunade lifted her gaze to look at the handsome and strong man in front of her.

Sasuke's hair had grown a bit longer and brushed against his shoulders, but his hair remained loose in the front and spiked in the back. His hard training showed through his tall and thin form, his arms a bit more muscled than Naruto's and his chest firm. His moonlight dipped skin clashed against his onyx black eyes beautifully, making them seen almost ethereal.

In short, he was as gorgeous as ever, but now Naruto could definitely hold a candle to him.

"Does this have to do with Naruto?" Tsunade asked, her voice softer as well.

Sasuke nodded, his gaze on the floor now.

"I…I need to see him. Please Tsunade-sama," he said weakly.

"Sasuke, I realize that you and Naruto were once best friends, but you've tried to kill him on many an occasion. Why should I trust you now with him?" Tsunade said.

"Because…" Sasuke moved his eyes back up to look at Tsunade's.

"I'm in love with him."

* * *

**O.o**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune and Gomi-kun**


	6. Came to Be

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None!**

* * *

**Sky-eyed Kitsune and Gomi-kun blab & Updates**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: O.o –state of shock at number of reviewers--**

* * *

**Reviewer Replies:**

**SO MANY REVIEWERS! O.o**

* * *

**POLL RESULTS!**

**One-sided Pairing:**

**Sainaru: 4**

**Gaanaru: 3**

**Sasunaru: 5**

**Itanaru: 2**

**Only Kibanaru: 2**

**Holy crap, Sasuke has the most! X.X**

**Naru's "First Time"**

**Sai: 17**

**Sasuke: 17**

**Neeee! Sai and Sasu are tied minna-san! O.o Iie! What will I do!?**

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**Chapter Dedication: This one is TOTALLY OWNED by Chibi Tsuki Hikari! I LUUUVED YOUR REVIEW! I DON'T DESERVE ALL THIS PRAISE! T.T –huggles Hikari to death--**

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Chapter Six: Came to Be

_Naruto growled as he pressed his kunai against a katana, the sickening sound of metal carving against metal filling the air space. He glared up at the black-haired teen before him from his crouched position on the rooftop. He wore a black belly-shirt with pants to match, his skin pale and a fake smile upon his lips_

"_Who the hell are you!?" Naruto shouted, and the teen's smile only grew wider._

"_You're a bit of a pansy aren't you?" he said. "Do you even have a dick?"_

_Naruto guffawed and blushed for a moment before snarling and pressing on his kunai more.

* * *

_

_Naruto crossed his arms as he settled lower into the hot spring, silently grumbling. It had been two and half years since Sai had become a part of Konoha, and since Naruto was an ANBU in training now, it was his first mission with his team in a while._

"_Naruto-kuuuun!" Sakura cried from over the hot spring fence, and Naruto rolled his eyes. Since he had turned sixteen Sakura had suddenly been all flirty around him, and now at eighteen she was acting like an obsessed fangirl._

"_I'll see you soon, Naruto-kun!" she said, and Naruto cringed at her sickly sweet voice._

_Naruto closed his eyes and sighed as he tilted his head back and let the hot water wrap him up in a world of calm._

_Silence…_

_Peace…_

_Serenity…_

"_Hello Naruto-kun."_

…_and apparently Sai._

_Naruto peeled open one lazy eye to watch his comrade sink into the water and sit next to him._

"_Nani ka?" Naruto sighed, closing his eye again._

"_You've been acting a bit strange lately," Sai said._

"_Have I?" Naruto said uninterestedly._

"_Hai. You seem frustrated and toss a lot in your sleep, and you always want to take the night watch. You also circle around us when we talk. You weren't like that before."_

_Naruto opened his eyes and looked at Sai, impressed that he had noticed his quirks._

"_I'm just different now," Naruto said. _

"_How?" Sai asked, and Naruto glared at him._

"_Why the hell would you care?" he spat._

"_Because you're my comrade…" Sai paused and then said softly, "…and you're my dearest friend."_

_Naruto looked to the spring water, blushing a bit._

"_I'm your closest friend?" he asked quietly, and Sai nodded._

"_Why me?" Naruto asked. "All you and I ever do is argue about the size of my dick which you think is nonexistent and spar together."_

"_It's because of that that you're so dear to me."_

"_Eh?"_

"_We don't have to spend time together anymore since we're ANBU in training now, but we still do, even if it is arguing or sparring. In between all of that we learn about each other. But the real reason…is because you helped me create a real smile. You gave me back my life and let my emotions go free."_

_Sai smiled and placed his own hand on Naruto's, currently resting behind him on a spring rock._

_Naruto shivered as he felt a quiver run up his spine from the contact._

"_Sai…what're you dong?" Naruto asked, and Sai smiled._

"_I read in a book once about how to thank someone you really care about…"_

_Sai edged his face close to Naruto's, and Naruto caught his breath._

"_S-Sai!" Naruto said, blushing harder._

"_Arigatou Naruto-kun…" Sai said, and he lowered his lips to Naruto's._

_Naruto's eyes widened as Sai kissed him softly, moving a hand to cup his whiskered cheek._

_Naruto shut his eyes tightly and shoved Sai off of him._

"_What the hell Sai!!?" Naruto cried, wiping his mouth fervently with the back of his hand._

"_Just saying thank you Naruto-kun," Sai said._

"_You don't say thank you like that Sai!"_

"_But the book said-"_

"_You only thank people like that if you're in love with them!"_

_Sai looked a bit taken aback, then lowered his eyes to the water._

"_Gomen Naruto-kun," he said quietly, and Naruto sighed._

"_It's fine," he said, waving a careless hand._

"_Naruto…what would you do if I said that I really was in love with you?"_

_Naruto locked his gaze with Sai, and the atmosphere was quiet for a moment._

"_I-"_

"_Everyone enjoying their break?"_

_Naruto and Sai turned as Kakashi entered the onsen, the lower half of his face securely covered._

"_Hai Kakashi," Sai said, smiling._

_Naruto looked away._

"_Hai…" he said quietly.

* * *

_

"_Naruto-kun."_

_Naruto rolled his eyes. It was HIS sentry duty!_

"_What is it Sai?" he said, looking up at the midnight sky._

_Sai took a seat next to Naruto on the tip f the boulder he was perched on._

"_Why won't you tell me why you've changed?" Sai asked, also looking at the sky and the winking stars above._

_Naruto paused for a moment._

"_Because…" he said quietly. "I don't want anyone to see me as a monster._

_Naruto gasped a bit as he was drawn into a warm embrace and his hands hit a firm chest._

"_I will never see you as a monster," Sai said sternly, and Naruto's eyes widened a bit._

_Naruto gripped the front of Sai's shirt tightly as he felt his heart jerk._

"_Sai…" Naruto said quietly. "It's the Kyuubi. I…I've merged with it. Everything about me is changing. My body, my behavior…everything. It feels so strange…"_

"_Is that all?" Sai asked, chuckling, and Naruto looked up at his face. "I thought you were hurt or sick. Don't scare me like that Naruto. Now, about that new behavior; can you teach me fox-speak for friends?"_

_Naruto smiled and nodded.

* * *

_

"_Another successful mission as usual," Tsunade said proudly, beaming up at the ANBU before her, now at the ripe age of twenty._

"_Hai Tsunade-sama," Naruto said, bowing._

"_Naruto, I'd like you to meet me on top of the Hokage mountain later today at sunset."_

"_Eh? Why?" Naruto asked, and Tsunade smiled._

"_You'll see. For now, you are dismissed."_

_Naruto nodded and disappeared in a puff of smoke._

_He reappeared outside of his house and went inside quickly. He exited wearing a black tank-top with an open short-sleeved orange jacket and a pair of thin black pants. His hitaiate was wrapped around his right shoulder, his golden locks falling loose around his carved face._

_He locked the door to his house and began walking leisurely down through town. People waved and smiled at him, and he smiled back, but he didn't stop._

_Naruto kept walking until he reached the forest on the outskirts of Konoha where a lake was settled peacefully between the trees._

_Naruto smiled as he removed his shirt and jacket and plunged into the water, the cool sensation engulfing him. He resurfaced, crashing through the water and spraying crystal drops into the air._

_Naruto flipped onto his back and looked up to the afternoon sky. There were lots of clouds today. Shikamaru must have been enjoying himself._

_Naruto smiled and closed his eyes, enjoying his time away from the town's hustle and bustle and the ritual of missions._

"_Naruto-kun."_

_Naruto turned his head to the shore and saw Sai standing there, smiling._

"_Oi, Sai!" Naruto said, straightening himself in the water._

"_Get in! The water feels really good!"_

"_I'm fine," Sai said._

"_What, afraid of getting cold?" Naruto said mockingly, and laughed. "Geez Sai, I didn't know you were so much of a pansy! And you used to make fin of ME for not having a-gak!"_

_Naruto choked as Sai threw off his shirt and leapt into the water with lightning speed and grabbed Naruto in a headlock._

"_Now who's a pansy?" Sai said, smirking as Naruto struggled._

"_Sai, leggo!" Naruto whined, and Sai let him loose._

"_You're getting it now!" Naruto cried, and tackled the brunette._

_Naruto laughed as he and Sai walked onto the shore, soaked and tired from rough-housing._

"_Told ya I could dunk you first!" Naruto said triumphantly._

"_Urusai. You did not," Sai grumbled._

"_Did too."_

"_No, you didn't!"_

"_Did too!"_

_Naruto gasped as he felt something hit him from behind and Sai tackled him to the grass, straddling him and pinning down his wrists beside him._

"_No, you didn't," Sai said, smirking, and Naruto turned his head away and pouted._

"_Whatever…" Naruto spat, and turned his gaze back to glare at Sai, when he stopped and saw the brunette looking at him intently._

_Naruto looked back into Sai's onyx eyes. He really had grown to be a handsome man, losing his belly-shirt and letting his hair grow a bit._

_Sai let his grip on Naruto's wrists go, and he lifted one hand to brush away some stray wet locks from Naruto's sun-kissed face._

"_S-Sai?" Naruto said, and Sai smiled._

"_I understand now why you have a fanclub Naruto," Sai said. "You're really beautiful. But then again, you always were."_

_Naruto blushed a deep crimson._

"_Thank you Naruto."_

"_F-for what?"_

"_I'm not sure," Sai said. "Naruto, what was it that you told me two years ago? About that special way of saying thank you? Wasn't it to only say thank you like that if you were in love with someone?"_

_Naruto slowly nodded, not taking his crimson and sky blue gaze away from Sai._

_Sai smiled._

"_Then I think that this time, this really is the best way for me to say it," he said, and leaned his face down to press his lips against Naruto's._

_Naruto eyes widened. If Sai was kissing him, that had to mean…_

_Naruto closed his eyes as Sai's lips caressed his own, and he gently kissed back._

_Sai moved the hand on Naruto's cheek up to slowly run through his hair, leaving each lock tenderly cared for in his grasp._

_Sai pulled back from the soft kiss and looked at Naruto._

"_I love you, Naruto," he said quietly._

_Naruto paused for a moment, then slowly smiled and pulled Sai back down for another gentle kiss._

"_I love you too," Naruto said once they had parted, and a loving smile stretched across Sai's face._

_He leaned his head down and nuzzled Naruto's neck affectionately, raining light kisses on the tanned skin there._

_Naruto closed his eyes and purred affectionately._

"_Naruto, are you…purring?" Sai asked, and Naruto nodded._

"_The merge with Kyuubi changed a lot," he said. "Do you think it's annoying?"_

_Sai smiled._

"_It's adorable," Sai said, and Naruto pouted._

"_Urusai," he said._

"_Ok," Sai replied, and captured Naruto's lips.

* * *

_

"_I wonder where Tsunade-sama is," Naruto said as he and Sai appeared on the top of the Hokage Mountain, hands linked._

"_She said she wanted to meet me up here, but I don't-"_

"_SURPRISE!!!"_

""_GAK!!!!!!"_

_Naruto yelped in surprise and collided onto the head of the Yondaime as his ANBU partners, Tsunade, Jiraiya, and the council appeared in a poof before him._

"_N-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-nani!?" Naruto cried, trying to collect himself._

"_Still acting like a genin I see," Jiraiya said as he helped Naruto up. "Tsunade-chan, are you sure that Naruto is ANBU captain material?"_

"_ANBU captain?" Naruto said, blinking._

"_Hai! Naruto, you've proven your worth, and myself, your teammates, the old pervert and the council have deemed you to be the next ANBU captain," Tsunade said, crossing her arms and smiling._

_Naruto looked over his friends standing there._

"_You guys…you…" he said, and suddenly he was grabbed from behind and spun around wildly._

"_NARUTO-KUN! YOU HAVE BECOME SUCH A SPLENDID FLOWER IN THE GARDEN OF YOUTH!" Lee cried, "manly" tears of joy spouting from his eyes. "IF ONLY GAI-SENEI WERE HERE TO SEE THIS, HE WOULD GIVE YOU THE BEST HUG OF ALL OF YOUR YOUTH!!!"_

_Naruto tried to choke something out, but failed as his face began to turn blue._

"_That's enough Lee," Jiraiya said, and Naruto gasped for air as he was released from fuzzy brow's death grip._

_Naruto smirked._

"_Ero-senin…" he said. "You-"_

"_Don't read into it brat," Jiraiya said smugly, sticking his nose up._

_Naruto laughed and looked at the council._

"_Is it really ok?" he asked. The withered old men and women smiled and nodded._

"_You have a deep love for our village," an old man with a cane said. "A love that you're father also shared that led him to give up his life to keep it safe. We are immensely proud to have you among one of our highest ranks in the village."_

_Naruto grinned and looked at Tsunade._

"_Baa-chan," he said._

"_Gaki," Tsunade replied._

_They both had a stare off for a while, before Naruto suddenly hugged Tsunade tightly._

"_Arigatou baa-chan…" Naruto said, his voice shaking a bit._

_Tsunade smiled and patted Naruto on the head thoughtfully._

_Naruto pulled back and grinned at all of his comrades and friends, grinning as his eyes grew glassy._

"_Arigatou minna-san," he said._

"_YATTA NARUTO!" Lee cried, and the group clapped, Kiba and Akamaru howling loudly._

"_This calls for sake!" Jiraiya piped up excitedly at the thought of alcohol pouring down his gullet._

"_We can all go back to my place," Naruto suggested.

* * *

_

_"Oi, Gaki! Be in my office- hic- at the- hic- crack of dawn- hic- tomorrow!" A tipsy Tsunade said as she was escorted out of Naruto's apartment by Jiraiya, who had amazingly sustained a good level of alcohol clarity._

"_I know, I know," Naruto said, waving them out as they were the last to leave._

_Naruto closed the door and sighed. All of the partying and talking to everyone had made him tired._

_Naruto walked down the hall, opened the door to his room, and let out a shriek. (A very manly one, mind you!)_

"_S-S-S-Sakura-chan!?" Naruto stuttered as he saw Sakura spread across his bed in a pink tank top and black short-shorts._

"_You have a very comfortable bed Naruto-kun," Sakura said suggestively as she sat on the end of the bed and smiled seductively up at Naruto._

_Naruto sighed and shook his head._

"_Sakura-chan, I don't know what kind of obsession you have with me now but you need to get over it," he said sternly. "I don't love you and I never will. In fact, I'm seeing someone."_

_Sakura raised an eyebrow._

"_Who?" she said, her voice a bit edgy._

"_Sai."_

"_Why would you want to date him? You're not gay Naruto."_

"_You don't know that, and frankly neither do I yet. But I know that I love him."_

"_Oh Naruto-kun, you don't know what real love is," Sakura said, moving up from the bed and sidling over to Naruto._

_Naruto tried to slowly back out of the room when Sakura swiftly shut the door behind him and his back hit it with a thud._

"_Let me show you what real love is Naruto-kun," Sakura purred, and she reached up and crashed her lips against Naruto's._

_Naruto's eyes widened and he shut his eyes as Sakura's tongue asked for entrance to Naruto's mouth._

_Naruto denied her access, and a bit miffed, she pushed Naruto in the stomach with her knee._

_Naruto let out a gasp and Sakura plunged into his mouth, kissing him hungrily and relishing the taste._

_Naruto had to keep from puking then and there, the very thought of Sakura's lips touching his own making his spine shift._

_Naruto made an attempt in his dazed state to pushed Sakura off, but Tsunade's training had not betrayed her, and she stood firmly pressed up against Naruto as she made her way down his neck and began to unbutton his shirt._

"_Sakura, stop!" Naruto shouted, trying to shove her away roughly now, but to no avail._

_Naruto winced as Sakura trailed her nails down hard Naruto's now revealed chest, leaving red marks in her wake._

_Sakura smirked up at Naruto, and suddenly the blonde found that the world had turned upside-down and Sakura was straddling him as she threw away his shirt and began to undo his belt._

"_Sakura get off now!" Naruto said firmly, wriggling. "I love Sai, not you!!!"_

"_Oh but you will after tonight Naruto-kun," Sakura said, whipping off Naruto's belt. "You will love me."_

_Sakura reached for the hem of Naruto's pants, and Naruto seized her wrists._

"_NO!" he cried. "Get the hell off of me you bubblegum-haired bitch! I've had it with you!"_

"_Don't make me force you Naruto-kun!" Sakura said, narrowing her eyes now as she thrust her mouth back against Naruto's, kissing him roughly and abusing his lips._

_Sakura dragged down Naruto's pants, leaving him clad in his orange and black boxers._

"_N-no! Sakura, ah!"_

_Sakura moved to Naruto's neck and bit down hard on the skin there, drawing blood. She let her hands run up and down Naruto's chest and hooked her thumbs on his boxers._

_Naruto finally found the feeling in his legs again after a swift surge of emergency chakra from the Kyuubi, and he gave Sakura a swift kick to the ribcage._

_Sakura let out a yelp and held a hand to her side as she fell off the side of the bed._

_She looked up quickly in time to see her prey escape through the window.

* * *

_

_KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!_

_Sai looked up from his kanji as loud and fervent knocking resounded form his front door. Who would be visiting at this hour of the night?_

_Sai stood up calmly and walked to the door as the knocking became frantic and insistent._

_BANG! BANG! BANG!_

_Sai opened the door, and suddenly found himself with a bundle of gold._

_Sai looked down as Naruto clung to him, his hands gripping his shirt and his face buried under his neck._

"_S-Sai!" Naruto cried as tears poured down his cheeks and his boyfriend held onto him tightly._

_Sai shut the door and led Naruto to his couch, holding the blonde close and letting him cry. He didn't speak, instead rubbing Naruto's back soothingly. He suddenly noticed that Naruto was clad in his boxers, revealing his beautiful and fit sun-kissed body._

_Sai's eyes widened when he noticed a bleeding spot on Naruto's neck and sharp vertical red marks down his chest._

"_Naruto…what happened?" Sai asked softly, hugging Naruto closer to him._

_Naruto calmed slightly as he felt Sai's protective and warm arms wrap around him comfortingly, relaxing his quivering body._

"_S-Sakura-chan…she…she tried t-to…" Naruto buried his face in the crook of Sai's neck, unable to get out the sentence. But Sai didn't need him to._

_He understood perfectly._

_Sai's calm onyx eyes blazed with anger at the pink-haired young woman. He would have run out right then and there to slap the bitch into the next dimension if it weren't for his blonde boyfriend clinging to him. He wouldn't leave Naruto._

"_Shh, I'm here Naruto," Sai said, nuzzling Naruto affectionately. "I'll never let that pink bitch touch you again, I promise."_

_Naruto pulled away and looked up at Sai, tears flowing from his sparkling blue eyes._

_Sai reached up his hand and gently brushed away Naruto's tears, giving him a soft kiss on the cheek, and Naruto smiled._

"_Arigatou Sai," he said. "I love you."_

_Sai leaned in and gave Naruto's bruised and defiled lips a tender kiss._

"_I love you too," he said.

* * *

_

Naruto blinked, opening his eyes to find himself in front of Kyuubi's cage. The red fox was curled up, glowing brightly.

"Kyuu?" Naruto said, approaching his cage. He was no longer scared. Kyuubi was like a father to him now.

Kyuubi lifted his head and placed it to the edge of the cage so that he was nose to nose to Naruto.

Naruto reached out and pet the fur on Kyuubi's nose, the fox purring appreciatively.

"You look…different," Naruto said. "And why am I here?"

"You're in an unconscious state," Kyuubi said. "The old hag has you hooked up to some kind of beeping machines and a bunch of tubes and wires in your body. Your monthly physical revealed that the seal is breaking."

Naruto's eyes widened and things seemed to click in his mind.

"Then…the seal hurting, and losing control that time with Sai…that was your chakra?" Naruto asked. Kyuubi nodded.

"My chakra is seeping through the weak points in the seal. Each time a point breaks, you will get that animalistic surge. Due to one points being broken, the others are weakened, and my chakra seeps and tears through those as well. Soon, there will only be me left, and you will be locked inside your own body, replaced where I am right now. When the last point breaks, you will die."

Naruto looked down and bit his lip.

"Kyuu…do you want me to die? I know you don't like being in here…"

"No!" Kyuubi growled. "Killing your own kit is barbaric!"

Naruto smiled sadly and reached through the bars to hug the old fox around his nose. Kyuubi looked at his kit with sorrowful eyes.

"I can't do much more than I am," he said. "The old hag and your friends are the people you need to seek for help now. The hag mentioned some kind of jutsu to your mate."

Naruto nodded. "Arigatou."

* * *

**I know, flashbacks are so boring! X(**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune and Gomi-kun**


	7. Sweet Misery

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None!**

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**Sky-eyed Kitsune and Gomi-kun blab & Updates**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: ****PWEASE GIVE ME YOUR ATTENTION FOR A MOMENT…**

**By the end of this chapter, many of you will love me….many of you will hate me….and some of you may come chasing after me with a rabid banana….but pleaz, I beg, don't kill me! And no flames….—cowers in fear—**

**Gomi-kun: Yea….I'm just the translator so….yea………**

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**Reviewer Replies:**

**To shadowphoenix143: I think you'll enjoy this chapter, and hopefully not chase me with a rabid banana…--sniff—**

**To sooxjin: --cowers—I-I-I dunno what's gonna happen! Seriously! O.O Dear god please let me survive this chapter…T.T**

**To cluelessninja65: I kno! Tis so hard!!! T.T**

**To GiantFlyingSquirrel: Thank ye for teh wonderful review! Yay cupcakes! Lol!**

**To Black-Dranzer-1119: You're gonna hate me after this chapter…--sniff—**

**To** **bakareviewers: WAAHHHH!! T.T I dunno what I'm gonna do! This decision for who Naru ends up with is sooo hard!!!**

**To Ume Sanbi: YES! Me torture Sasuke…but I don't know who will get the dobe!**

**To Joan Mistress of Magic: Gods, so many people will hate me after this chappie! T.T**

**To Chibi Tsuki Hikari: NU! NU THREESOME! --' Me no likie threesome, sry lol. And on a sidenote… DIE SAKURA!!!**

**Thank you all other reviewers! I dun know what I'd do without you guys! ;3**

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**POLL RESULTS!**

**One-sided Pairing:**

**Sainaru: 10**

**Gaanaru: 3**

**Sasunaru: 7**

**Itanaru: 2**

**Only Kibanaru: 2**

**If ****you haven't gotten your vote in for this poll do so now! The poll will end on January 5****th**** 2008! And if you have voted, don't vote again or I shall wack you with my frying pan! RAWR!!!**

**Naru's "First Time"**

**Sai: 27**

**Sasuke: 25**

**THIS POLL IS CLOSED PEOPLE!**

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**Chapter Dedication: --sniff—I DUN WANNA BE KILLED BY TEH RABID REVIEWERS! WAAAAA!**

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Chapter Seven: Sweet Misery

Sai walked down the hall of the infirmary, holding his hand against his left shoulder where a kunai had been thrust into his flesh.

The mission was successful and he had left Tenten and Shino to give the report to the Hokage.

He passed the receptionist's desk, not needing directions or asking for his wound to be patched up. No, all he needed right now was to see that Naruto was still in a stable condition since he had left two days ago.

Blood trickled down Sai's hand and dappled the white tile floor as he walked. He stopped when he reached the Emergency Medical Care solo room and opened the door.

He let out a relieved sigh when he saw Naruto in the same position as when he had left him.

His monitors beeped steadily as his chest moved up and down in rhythmic succession. The oxygen mask over his mouth had been removed but the wires under his skin over his bare chest remained hooked up to the chakra monitor, and an IV was attached to his right wrist.

Sai walked forward and traced a hand along Naruto's whiskered cheek lightly, moving it back to run through his hair that splayed over the white pillow like liquid gold.

Sai bent his head down and nuzzled Naruto's neck, outlining his pink angel lips delicately with the tips of his fingers.

"I'm home," he whispered, brushing his lips against Naruto's ear gently.

"I'm glad."

Sai slowly lifted his head up and saw a pair of sky blue orbs looking into his own eyes.

Sai smiled as Naruto reached up and placed his hand over his own, and he laced their fingers gently.

"How do you feel?" Sai asked.

"Tch. Don't treat me like I'm some woman," Naruto said, pouting.

Sai chuckled.

"Girl or not, how are you feeling, really?" he asked again.

"I have a headache. While you were gone baa-chan put me on like six painkillers because she was shooting experimental chakra into my body and recording my reaction. After that I slipped into a coma."

"How did you know you were in a coma?"

"Kyuu told me. He also said that he can't do anything for me with the seal. Tsunade baa-chan mentioned a jutsu to strengthen the seal, ne?"

"Yes, but it's extremely risky. You have a 15 percent chance of surviving, and I'm not taking it."

Naruto sat up despite the pain shooting through his skin from the wires in his body and around his seal.

"I appreciate your concern Sai, but I'm the one who really needs to decide soon," he said, looking down to the wires inside of him.

"Naruto, please don't," Sai said quietly. He didn't need Naruto tell him when he already knew what the blonde had decided.

Sai leaned in again and gave Naruto a soft kiss.

"I love you……I can't lose you…"

Naruto met Sai's lips again and gave him a kiss back.

"You won't," he said reassuringly.

Sai shook his head in disapproval and sighed.

"You're not going to change your mind, are you?"

"Nope."

"Then I guess arguing is pointless."

"True…" Naruto reached up and pulled Sai's face close to his own once more.

"…but kissing is not."

Sai smiled as Naruto's lips met his own.

* * *

"Alright Sasuke, here is your new genin team," Kakashi said, flourishing a hand at three young ninjas, two girls and one boy. The girls looked like twins, identical with their long black hair and brown eyes. The boy had his hands shoved into his pockets, his face emotionless. His red hair was cut short and jagged, showing off against his yellow eyes.

"You can take it from here," Kakashi said, moving over to sit under one of the trees in the training grounds.

Sasuke sighed.

"Ok, I'm your new sensei," Sasuke said. "Let's start with names."

"Ooh! Me!" the twin on the left squealed, and Sasuke nodded.

"My name is Makabisho Kimiko! Friends call me Kimi!"

"Ok," Sasuke said. "Next."

"Ano…I'm Makabisho Konami," the other twin said nervously.

Sasuke looked to the boy.

"What, me?" the boy said, raising an eyebrow. Sasuke nodded.

"Yukuza Soujin," he said lethargically.

Sasuke's eyebrow twitched.

"Ok…"

"What's your name sensei?" Kimi asked excitedly, her eyes the size of soup plates.

"Uchiha Sasuke."

The twins gasped and Yukuza lifted an eyebrow.

For a good five minutes the clearing was quiet.

"Ano…the Uchiha that betrayed Konoha?" Konami said quietly.

"Pfft. No way," Yukuza scoffed, shoving his hands into his pockets and glaring at Sasuke.

"He's an imposter. A fake. Hokage-sama would never allow a traitor to be allowed back into Konoha."

"But…wasn't Naruto-sama friends with the Uchiha?" Konami asked, the mention of Naruto's name grabbing his attention.

"Yea, once I guess. But he's a traitor! Naruto-sama would never want that Uchiha back after what he did! I mean c'mon! Would _you_ want to be friends with someone who stabbed your back?"

The girls looked down.

"Yukuza-kun, that is in fact Sasuke Uchiha," Kakashi sighed.

Yukuza whipped his head around to the white-haired ninja for any hint of sarcasm, but he found none.

He was dead serious.

"Tsunade-sama has allowed him to come back to the village with a strict line of rules to abide by, or he will be killed."

Yukuza locked eyes with Sasuke, his eyes wide and dazed.

"No…y-you're lying!" he said as fear molded in his yellow lightning gaze. "That's impossible! I don't believe you! I don't!"

"Yukuza-kun, calm down now-"

"I DON'T BELIEVE YOU!" Yukuza shouted, speeding off into the forest.

Kakashi sighed.

"He'll be back," he said. "He's stubborn and won't go without training for more than a day."

"Why is the kid getting so bent up about it?" Sasuke said.

"Ano, Sensei?"

Sasuke looked down at Kimi and nodded.

"Yukuza-kun sees all of the Hokages as role models, especially Naruto-sama. For him to find out that the current Hokage, Tsunade-sama, let you back into the village, that would mean that this decision would have had to pass through Naruto-sama as well, since he is very soon to be the Rokudaime."

Sasuke's eyes widened.

"So…for Yukuza to find out that the person he looked up to let a traitor back into the village…it's shocking for him."

"And…you're not?" Sasuke said.

"My sister and I see how Naruto-sama would look at the situation. We love Naruto-sama very much…but we see how he reached such a decision."

Sasuke was bewildered.

Naruto…let him back in?

* * *

Tsunade checked over the monitors and charts attached to a clipboard in her hand.

Naruto lay flat in his bed, the wires making it painful so sit up. Sai stood by him, stroking a hand through his hair soothingly.

Tsunade sighed.

"Well, there hasn't been a substantial change from the last time I checked you. Your chakra is actually higher than Kyuubi's" she said to Naruto. "But the rise in your chakra will mean that the next time one of the seal's prongs break, Kyuubi's chakra will practically erupt…maybe wiping you out with it."

Naruto quivered a bit and Sai took his hand firmly in his own.

"Baa-chan, Kyuu says that he can't help me," Naruto said. "I'm going to have to go through with the special seal technique."

Tsunade looked into Naruto's eyes for any hint of doubt.

She found none.

"We commence the sealing tomorrow," Tsunade said softly.

Naruto nodded.

Tsunade removed the wires from Naruto's skin, the blonde wincing as she did so.

"You may go home now…but be back here in the special care room tomorrow at 6am. The process will take sixteen hours…if all goes well. I'll recruit the shinobi with the largest chakra reservoirs and skills I know of. Sai, you are one of them."

Sai nodded.

Naruto stood from the examination table, slipping back on his black ANBU shirt and facing Tsunade.

She looked into Naruto's sapphire eyes, memories spilling from their every sparkle against the light. She hugged Naruto tightly, as she would have no time to waste the next morning when she saw him.

Naruto patted Tsunade's back as he hugged her back, her shoulders quivering as tears slipped down her cheeks silently.

"Baa-chan, why are you crying?" Naruto said. "I'm not going anywhere."

Naruto pulled away from Tsunade and grinned at her.

"After all, someday I'm gonna be Hokage! I can't afford to die now when I'm so close!"

Tsunade let a sob escape her as she nodded, and Naruto gave her one last embrace before he left hand-in-hand with Sai.

* * *

Naruto sighed as the crisp night air rippled across his skin and made his blood shiver.

He sealing seemed so close…

And it was.

The blonde looked up through the branches of the trees from under the one where he sat outside of his and Sai's house, the crescent moon filtering subtle light through the trees.

Naruto wished the stars weren't hiding tonight.

Naruto felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Sai sitting next to him.

"Are you ok?" he asked.

Naruto looked back up at the sky and nodded.

"I just wanted come out here one more time before I'm kept in that room for sixteen hours tomorrow," he said. "It might be Kyuubi's effect on me, but I always liked being outside. I feel more like I blend in."

Sai smiled as the wind caressed Naruto's hair, leaving each lock thoroughly tended to with love.

"I'll make it."

Sai snapped out of his daze as Naruto turned his gaze to him and smiled.

"I'm not givin' up without a fight," he said.

Sai smiled.

"I know you won't."

* * *

Naruto crashed his lips against Sai's, the coma he had been in making it feel like forever since they had touched.

Sai responded by allowing Naruto entrance to his mouth, emitting a low groan as Naruto entwined his tongue with his own.

Naruto pulled Sai forward, one hand gripping his shirt and the other positioned at the back of his neck.

He broke from Sai as he felt his knees hit the edge of their bed, and he toppled onto it, taking Sai down with him.

Naruto grinned sheepishly up at Sai, then groaned as the brunette attacked his neck, sucking and biting at the gorgeous tanned skin there as his hands roamed under Naruto's shirt, slowly peeling it off him.

Naruto lifted his arms, aiding Sai as he flung off the blonde's shirt and kissed down the kitsune's bare and beautiful chest softly.

Naruto groaned and gripped Sai's shirt, hating the fabric that separated his hands from that smooth pale skin.

Sai understood and sat up on his knees.

Naruto kissed Sai passionately, moving his lips down his jaw and to his neck.

He sucked on the moonlit skin gently, steadily applying pressure, and Sai let out a low purring noise from the back of his throat.

Naruto quickly disposed of Sai's shirt and kissed him, massaging his tongue against the brunette's in slow circles.

Sai heard the sound of a zipper, but didn't flinch as Naruto undid his pants.

Sai threw his head back and groaned as Naruto kissed down his chest and to his lower abdomen, steadily pulling the brunette's pants down with each kiss until he was clad in his black boxers.

Sai cupped Naruto's face and lead him back up to his lips again, pushing the blonde back down onto the bed without breaking their lips.

Sai hooked his thumbs on the rim of Naruto's back ANBU pants, teasing the blonde as he released his lips and dragged his body up and down his lover's.

Naruto groaned as he felt Sai's hard brush against his own more covered one. He growled in frustration as his pants clung to his legs, making him hot and sweaty.

Sai chuckled, kissing Naruto's neck and leaving his hands unwavering at the hem of the blonde's ANBU pants.

Naruto growled and bucked his hips up, grinding them against Sai's in hot friction induced pleasure.

Sai let out an "oof!" and then moaned softly.

He narrowed his eyes down at Naruto who gave him a fox-like grin.

Oh yes, the teasing session was definitely on.

Sai kissed Naruto's lips fast and hard, moving down his neck and sucking at his collarbone. He slipped his hands underneath Naruto's pants and boxers and kneaded his palms against the blonde's hips, purposely brushing against his manhood.

Naruto gasped and moaned as he felt an enticing shiver run up and down his spine.

"S-Sai!" Naruto gasped. "Please!"

Sai continued his massaging, kissing lower and lower down Naruto's torso, dipping his tongue into his belly button.

Naruto hissed as Sai's tongue brushed against his sensitive seal, but it soon morphed into a loud moan as pain mingled with pleasure in an intoxicating combination.

"Sai!" Naruto said a bit angrily, swallowing a groan.

"Tell me what you want, Naruto," said whispered huskily, leaning up to his ear and licking the shell of it. He removed his hands and ground his hips down on Naruto's.

Naruto gasped and groaned.

"I-I want you, Sai!" he growled, thrusting his hips up for more delicious friction.

Sai licked Naruto's neck.

"As you wish, koi," he breathed.

Naruto gasped as cold air abruptly washed over his lower body, and his pants and boxers were removed in one flick of Sai's hand.

Sai took off his own boxers and straddled Naruto, who groaned at the bare abrasion of skin on skin.

He leaned back a bit, drinking in Naruto's gorgeous form before him.

Naruto blushed and turned his head away.

"God Naruto," Sai said, capturing his lips in a passion filled kit and nuzzling his neck shortly after. "How can you be so damn beautiful?"

Naruto's face flushed crimson, but he smiled nonetheless.

He pushed Sai up off his neck, grinning as he seized his mouth with gentle ferocity.

* * *

"UCHIHA!"

Sasuke bolted upright in bed as a holler of his name was zeroed in directly at his ear, and he practically fell off his bed.

He looked to his right and saw Tsunade standing there, her arms crossed and lips pressed tightly against each other.

"What?" Sasuke deadpanned, his hair cluttered and tank top slipping off of his left shoulder. Really, he had thought that in Konoha he could at least put his guard down while he slept for crying out loud!

"I have a mission for you," Tsunade said.

Sasuke looked at his clock.

"It's 5:00 am and I haven't gotten a good night's sleep in ten years," he droned, flopping back down onto his bed and mashing his pillow over his face.

"You wanted to see Naruto, right?"

Sasuke shot up in bed and flung the pillow away.

"Naruto?" he said.

Tsunade nodded.

"What does Naruto have to do with this mission?"

"Naruto doesn't have much time left," Tsunade said, her tone becoming softer.

"What do you mean he doesn't have time!?" Sasuke said, his heart jumping into his throat.

"The Kyuubi's seal is breaking. Very soon it will shatter completely and the Kyuubi no Kitsune will take over Naruto's body. In other words, Naruto will die."

Sasuke felt his heart slice open and stop beating completely.

"In one hour I along with the nine most skilled shinobi I know with great chakra reserves will gather and use a forbidden resealing technique. This could mean the difference between not only the life and death of Naruto, but the life and death of the Rokudaime as well. The procedure will last sixteen hours and Naruto has a slim chance of surviving, but if a stable chakra connection can be kept during the jutsu, he may make it. You are one of the nine that I request to be present and partake in the technique. That is, if you choose to acce-"

"I accept," Sasuke said, standing from his bed and pulling out clothing from his dresser.

Tsunade nodded.

"I'm counting on you to be there Uchiha."

* * *

Sai slowly peeled open one eye as his inner alarm clock went off.

He looked down at the source of the warmth radiating throughout his body, and he smiled at the golden beauty nuzzling against his chest in his sleep.

Sai snuggled closer to Naruto, leaning his head down and kissing the blonde's neck softly.

Naruto purred and smiled as he snoozed, and Sai wrapped his arms around his lover's lithe form.

"Naruto," he whispered, continuing to kiss his tanned skin. "Naru love, it's time to get up."

Naruto's peaceful expression scrunched up, an he buried his head in the crook of Sai's neck.

Sai sighed and held Naruto close to him, embracing his warmth.

He just wanted to stay like that forever, his love wrapped in his arms and their world utterly tranquil. All that was there was the two of them, and nothing else mattered.

But life wasn't so kind.

"Come on Naruto," Sai tried again, shaking the blonde.

"Mmmf," Naruto groaned.

"C'mon Naruto, it's 5am."

Naruto bopped Sai with his pillow.

* * *

**Please….sasunaru fans….—sniff—……PLEAZ DUN KILL ME!!! TT.TT Just cause Sai took Naru doesn't mean they'll end up together! And it was only fifty percent depended on the poll! The other fifty is my choice! Sasunaru is my fav couple…but I was writing the chappie….and it had to be done! –begins to write will—**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune**

**Translated by Gomi-kun**


	8. Resignation to the Unknown

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None!**

* * *

**Sky-eyed Kitsune and Gomi-kun blab & Updates**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: **_**Finally**_** got a new compy and sent my lappy to get fixed, so my faster updates will now be happening again! XD Well my minions, how long have you been waiting for this? Don't answer! Just read!!**

* * *

**Reviewer Replies:**

**To lydia-chan: Thanks! Gr, I know, the decision on who to pick for Naru is so hard to make…XO**

**To DemonEclipse: O.o**

**To xBunni: Wa! I so sorry T.T The poll is closed! It's so hard for me to decide who Naruto will go with. You're right that Sasuke is selfish and Sai has been there, but what about first luv!? Gah!**

**To Darksouled Saiyanphoenix: Ah, thanks so much! Don't worry, this chapter will give you PLENTY to think about!**

**To seventhSINwrath: Ooooh, this is so hard! One person says sasunaru, another sainaru…and it's so hard! –shoots self—Xb**

**To wolfXdemonXgirl: Another sainari? Gods, this is gonna be a hard decision! Thanks for the review!**

**To Wassupkiba: Wow, thanks so much! Hm, I wonder how berserk Sasuke will go when he learns his little Naru is not so innocent anymore? XD**

**To MayIFall: Lol! Yea, I'm really struggling with who Naruto will be with as you can guess…T.T And thanks, I tried to make this fic a little different, but not too overly dramatic.**

**To ryandel: AHH FLYING BAGELS!! FBLJROWJHSJ!! :000**

**To Barking Spiders: (lol, I luv your penname) Oh god, another sainaru…eep! Everyone is so opinionated…sniff…I dun wanna make a bad decision! Waa! TT.TT**

**To Mixxz Silva: Ah, thank you! Wait no longer!**

**To QUEENJJ123ABDRESPECTBABY: Yea, Tsunade is definitely over the top, but for good reason! She doesn't want Naruto to die since the sealing couldn't work.**

**To xXCabbageXx: True, Sai was there while Sasuke was drunk off revenge…but he came back! Doesn't that count for something!? T.T**

**To Black-Dranzer-1119: Meh, I know, I know! But I have to do what I think flows with the story, regardless of who Naruto ends up with.**

**To Fiery-Moonlight: That's true, there really aren't a lot of sasunaru fics at all; this started off as sasunaru in my mind, but then I got attached to sainaru. I assigned Sasuke a genin team because Tsunade wanted to test his loyalty to the village again. If he could train a genin team without abandoning them or any other problems, then he had proven he was slightly attached to Konoha.**

**To MoonKaiser: I know, but I promise that later in the story when I FINALLY decide who Naru will be with, I'll write a yummy, tangy lemon! ;)**

**To lightdark54: Thanks! And I sorry, but the poll is closed! T.T**

**To Suicidal Black Butterfly: Ah, I know they do! But I'm being pulled both ways!**

**To Tilly-chan: No offence taken! ;3**

**To NoLifeWhatsoever: Ugh, this decision is so hard…Xb**

**To Bleeding Kunai: I'm with you! –sigh—Why did I get myself into this story? Wa! Cupcakes! Nomnomnom thank you soo much! :D**

**To yet-another-Gaara-fangirl: I really am being pulled to both sides pairing wise. It's so hard for me! Sorry bout the genin team, but Tsunade is testing the Uchiha's loyalty right now. Don't worry, they are a very minor part in the story, and they definitely DO NOT get adopted. I hate that. X(**

**To Masu-chan: Gaanara, ne? Hmm…that's an interesting idea! Maybe I'll insert Gaara in here somewhere- there's plenty of room for him!**

**To xXkawaii-chanXx: I really don't know who will get Naru at this point. I'm tugging both ways and am currently in a deadlock! –sigh—But thanks for the suggestions.**

**To Jinxblog: Don't worry, if this does turn out to be sasunaru, I'll make sure Sai doesn't get hurt. (That's be mean!)**

**To jenthecaliforniagirl2004: I think you'll enjoy this chapter!**

**To I've Got the Curse of Curves: Don't worry, he won't!**

**To moonlit dew: Yep, they meet! And….eep! Sasunaruness!? :O**

**To mmm.kai.mmm: Urg, still alive…barely…X(**

**To JadeAnime: Lol! I know, I love Sasunaru so much but…--sniff—oh great god of Yaoi, what should I do!?**

**To Gemstones: Naruto won't end up with Sasu for sure—I'm still debating it!**

**To dori-chan: You people are killing me! Sasunaru? No, sainaru! No sasunaru, no! dnhweiohdweidi—splode—**

**To EatAHomo: Thanks so much! I'll continue to do my best!**

**To saurion: Lol! I love your name for Sasuke! Omg, that made my day!! XD**

**To narutoluvr4evr: --sniff—Cookie…. –sniffle—**

**To xxtarragonxx: Wa! –huggles back—thank you so much! Wa! MUFFIN! OMGOMGOMG! –does the muffin dance—**

**To Kabuto-pants: --sigh—I feel your pain. I'm a dieheart sasunaru fangirl, but…sainaru just suddenly happened in this fic! T.T**

**To all other reviewers, I have read your reviews and love them all to pieces! I'm sorry I can't reply to them all, for the fic must go on!!**

* * *

**POLL RESULTS!**

**One-sided Pairing:**

**Sainaru: 10**

**Gaanaru: 3**

**Sasunaru: 7**

**Itanaru: 2**

**Only Kibanaru: 2**

**DIS POLL HAS CLOSED! MUAHAHAHAA!**

**Chapter Dedication: This is for xxtarragonxx, EatAHomo, and JadeAnime. Luv, luv!!**

**Chapter Eight: Resignation**

--

Tsunade looked up as she heard the door to the special treatment room open.

"Shikamaru," she nodded to the ANBU, part of Naruto's team.

"Am I late?" he drawled, yawning.

"You just made it," she said, crossing her arms.

"Hn."

Shikamaru joined the rest of the shinobi in the room chatting amongst themselves quietly, some old and some new faces, but only eight total.

"Minna-san!" Tsunade said, and the room hushed immediately, all eyes on the current Hokage as she spoke.

"Everyone is here and Naruto and Sai will be arriving soon. Thank-you all for coming so early on such a crucial day. Not only will this forbidden sealing save the life of Uzumaki Naruto, but that of the Rokudaime. The procedure will be long and tedious with no breaks. I will need you to draw out every inch of chakra you can possibly spare and keep your concentration. The slightest slip off will undoubtedly result in the death of Naruto."

Heads bent downward.

"But please keep in mind during this that since we are infusing Kyuubi's chakra even more with Naruto's, Naruto could temporarily loose control of his body due to Kyuubi's chakra reserve being much higher than his own. In that case I have brought Yamato to use his sealing technique."

Yamato nodded within the crowd.

"If worst comes to worst and Naruto looses control, you will all be requested to place yourselves into the state of mind that Naruto is already dead, since it will be hopeless from that point. The chakra will burn through his body and completely devour him."

Sasuke clenched his fist from the back row and most other faces contorted into a look of pain and fear.

"Please keep in mind that though this is straining your bodies, it will hurt Naruto's the most. You see……"

Tsunade closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"….Naruto will be awake for the entire sealing."

"I forbid this."

Tsunade looked up to start into the jade eyes of the Kazekage, his gaze burning into Tsunade's fiercely though his face held no emotion whatsoever.

"That is torture I would not even subject betrayers of my village to," Gaara said. "I am well aware of this technique and how forbidden it really is. I won't allow Naruto-kun to go through such unbearable pain."

"We have no other choice," Jiraiya said near the back, and Tsunade nodded in agreement.

"If he is asleep or even under a genjutsu during the procedure then the Kyuubi's chakra will naturally take over instantly if it feels that it is being threatened, almost assuredly promising Naruto's death," Tsunade said sadly. "I'm sorry Kazekage-sama, but it must be done."

Gaara dropped his gaze to the floor and slowly nodded.

"Now, we must prepare for the sealing!"

* * *

Sai looked down at Naruto, snoozing in his arms as he carried him to the Hokage's building.

Naruto cuddled against Sai's chest, burying his face in the brunette's shirt as he clung to his warmth, and Sai almost melted.

"_You will make it, Naruto…"_ Sai thought determinedly. _"You can't die now…"_

* * *

Heads turned to the door as it opened gently, and Sai walked in with Naruto in his arms.

"What's wrong with Naruto!?" Tsunade shouted, sprinting up to Sai and taking Naruto from him roughly.

"He's just sleeping," Sai said, and Tsunade calmed down as Naruto opened one sleepy eye to look at her.

"Baa-chan?" he murmured, rubbing the sleep away from his eyes so adorably that everyone in the room just wanted to coo. (Especially one certain Uchiha who hadn't seen Naruto for years and found him utterly _breathtaking_.)

Naruto wriggled out of Tsunade's hold and looked around the room.

"Eh? How did I get here?" he said.

"I carried you," Sai said simply, and Naruto bristled a bit.

"Relax brat," Tsunade said. "No one is ever up this early unless they're going on a mission. The streets were deserted and no one saw you….unlike _last_ time."

Naruto blushed and looked away, pouting a bit.

"Fine, fine," he griped. "Let's just do this already!"

"We need three more minutes," Tsunade said. "Sai, why don't you and Naruto step out into the hallway? If you need to say anything to him, now would be a good time to do it."

Sai nodded and took Naruto by the hand, stepping out into the empty hall, unaware of a raven that camouflaged himself and swiftly followed.

* * *

Sasuke watched, hidden from the senses as Sai faced Naruto in the hallway, his eyes tilted to the ground.

"Naruto…" he said, searching for the right words to say. "I…you better make it back."

Naruto smiled a bit.

"Baka, of course I will. A stupid seal isn't going to take me down."

"I'm serious," Sai said, connecting his gaze with Naruto's as he looked up.

Sasuke bit his lip angrily as Naruto pulled Sai down into a kiss.

"_Naruto's dating Sai…not that Rikka guy,"_ Sasuke thought bitterly. _"But then what's his relationship with Rikka?"_

Sai cupped Naruto's face, running his thumbs along his whisker marks lightly as he tried to memorize the blonde's taste, his touch, his smell…everything.

Naruto gripped Sai's shirt and kissed him desperately, his eyes shut firmly as he tried not to think of what lay ahead.

As they broke for air Naruto rested his head against Sai's chest, the brunette in turn wrapping his arms around him tightly and burying his head in his mat of calm golden spikes.

"Sai……………I'm afraid…" Naruto said quietly, finally letting his fear show.

"Me too…" Sai said, holding the blonde even more tightly. "But because of this…I've realized something."

"Hm?"

"I don't ever want to leave your side, Naruto. I want to be there for you always, even when you're angry or upset. I want to be the person beside you that follows you through it all."

Sai pulled away and Naruto gave him a confused look as he reached into his pocket.

Naruto's heart jumped as Sai took out a black velvet box and he lowered to one knee.

"Naruto…I always have and always will love you, forever. I'll never leave your side. So, Uzumaki Naruto…will you marry me?"

Sai opened the box and revealed a shimmering golden and silver entwined band, beautiful kanji carved over it reading, _"Forever, my golden kitsune."_

Naruto's breathed hitched in his throat.

His voice seemed to disappear into oblivion as looked from the shining ring, to Sai's pleading eyes, and back to the ring again.

Meanwhile Sasuke was ready to scream, pounce from his hiding place, and rip out Sai's throat.

Tears started to gather in Naruto's eyes, and Sai stood up, kissing them away softly.

"I…"

"Naruto!"

Naruto, Sai, and Sasuke looked to the door, Tsunade poking her head out.

"We're ready for you, Naruto."

Naruto nodded and walked forward, Sai (and secretly Sasuke) following behind him as the door shut.

* * *

Naruto looked at the intricate seals on the floor all revolving around a circle from one center point. Around the circle were special unlit candles and Naruto's friends and fellow shinobi cross-legged, ten total.

Some nodded as he walked in, and others didn't move, too saddened to see their soon to be Rokudaime walking the fine line of life and death.

Sai moved into a vacant spot on the ground, and Naruto's heart jumped for the second time when he met an all too familiar pair of deep onyx eyes.

"Sas-"

"Naruto, I need you to remove your shirt and lay down in the middle of the circle please," Tsunade said.

"Hai…" Naruto said softly. He peeled off his shirt, revealing soft muscles carved gently, almost loving, into his golden skin, kissed by the sun to perfection.

Many of the girls (and guys) in the room sighed longingly and gazed at him with devoted admiration, while a few others openly squealed, unable to contain themselves.

"Shut up," Tsunade said, crossing her arms. "If there are those of you unable to keep you hands off of Naruto, then I'm sure that Sai will be more than happy to give you a proper beating later."

Sai glared at the few girls who squealed, and they looked down, still giggling a bit. He looked across the room, and time seemed to stop for a moment when he saw a certain Uchiha sitting across from him.

He curled his lips into a thin line as Sasuke looked back at him impassively, a cold glare hidden beneath his eyes.

"Alright, let's begin!" Tsunade said, and she formed six seals in rapid succession. She murmured something, and the black seals on the ground crept up almost snakelike, and traveled over Naruto's skin in the center of the circle.

Naruto closed his eyes and bit his lip, the seals wrapping him around him in an intricate web, burning his skin as they made contact. They folded over the Kyuubi's seal which turned red instantly, and Naruto hissed in pain.

"Stay still Naruto," Tsunade said, still holding her last seal.

Sasuke averted his gaze. He couldn't stand to see Naruto like that, in so much pain already.

"Katsu!"

Tsunade slammed her hand down on the floor at her shout, and the remaining seal markings on the ground leapt up like wild serpents and clasped over Naruto's wrists, ankles, and neck in black chokers.

Naruto gasped, claws protruding from his fingertips and fangs elongating over his lips immediately. He dug his claws into the floor beneath him, leaving deep rifts in the wood.

"_Kuso…I didn't expect the Kyuubi's chakra to respond so quickly,"_ Tsunade thought.

She looked over at Jiraiya who shared the same nervous look.

"Minna-san! Please perform the seals I showed you earlier this morning and pour your chakra in Naruto to suppress the Kyuubi's!" Tsunade ordered, and the shinobi around the blond reacted quickly.

Naruto felt his eyelids drop as the pain that engulfed him became so heavy that it numbed his body.

"Naruto! Stay with us!" he heard Tsunade say, but it was just an echo by the time he blacked out.

* * *

_Naruto slowly opened his eyes._

"_Neh…?" he murmured, blinking as the room around him focused._

_A thick red fog surrounded him, raindrops falling from above. He held out his hand to catch the drops, and one pattered onto his palm in a small pool._

"_Black…?" Naruto said, watching the midnight water ripple in his hand. He looked up and saw the other black droplets being swallowed up by the red haze around him._

_He walked forward cautiously and swept a hand through the fog, only to have it skitter in the air from his touch as if it was alive._

_Naruto furrowed his brow and walked forward._

_The smog parted for him as if afraid as he strode ahead, and huge black iron bars came into view._

"_Kyuu!" Naruto cried, running forward as his feet splashed against the water at his feet._

"_Kit! Stay back!" he heard the Kyuubi echo._

_The blond stopped._

_The dank chamber was silent with the exception of Kyuubi's heavy breathing. Breathing…that didn't sound quite as loud as it used to._

"_Kyuubi…?" Naruto said softly, taking cautious steps forward. He was met with no reprimand from the fox, so he continued forward until he was face-to-face with the colossal iron bars of Kyuubi's prison._

_He reached out to rest his hand on one, but quickly pulled it away as the bar seared his skin as if deathly hot._

"_Naru…g-get out…" Kyuubi panted, and Naruto noticed the obvious change in his once booming voice._

"_No," Naruto said, shaking his head. "I'm not leaving you. I'm staying here with you until this is all over._

_Naruto slid his arm through the bars, hissing as they burned his skin, but kept reaching until he felt soft fur._

_Kyuubi shivered at Naruto's touch and whimpered so pitifully, that Naruto could practically __**hear**__ his pain._

_Naruto grit his teeth._

_Kyuubi didn't deserve to be in so much pain. He was like an older brother to Naruto. He looked out and cared for him, and even showed the blond compassion when need be. And now when Kyuubi was the one who needed comforting, Naruto couldn't reach him._

_But that wasn't going to stop him._

_Naruto positioned his body to the side and slid through the bars, wincing, until he was inside Kyuubi's cage._

_He didn't bother to examine the burns on his bare chest as he slowly neared the fox._

_But…this isn't, couldn't be Kyuubi. There was no humongous demon, no warm wave from his breath, nothing…nothing but a small shivering figure on the ground._

_Naruto leaned down beside the figure. He turned it a bit and could barely contain a gasp._

_This __**was**__ Kyuubi._

_A human one._

_Kyuubi lay on his side, curled up. His crimson hair flowed long and freely down to his thighs over two human-like, but pointed ears. His bangs fell over his face, making it invisible. His body was lithe and slightly toned like Naruto's, only a bit paler. His clawed fingers dug into the marble floor under him, leaving rifts and scratches in their wake. Nine, beautiful red tails tipped white at each end flowed from his backside and wrapped around his naked and quivering body._

"_Kyuu…" Naruto breathed. He ran a hand lightly down Kyuubi's shoulder. "What happened…why are you-" Naruto winced as the seal on his stomach suddenly spread out over his skin, now overlapping the markings obtained from Tsunade's sealing technique._

"_Too much…"_

_Naruto leaned down to Kyuubi despite the pain as he heard him murmur._

"_Too much human chakra…" he shuddered. "Suppressing mine…it's making me loose my demon form…get it out!!"_

_Naruto's eyes widened as Kyuubi leaned up and gripped his shoulders tightly, staring at him frantically with two churning dark scarlet eyes. His beautiful face was searching Naruto's desperately, pleadingly._

_Naruto sighed and ran a hand through Kyuubi's hair, attempting to calm him._

"_I can't," he said. "They're suppressing your chakra to make sure it doesn't take me over…so I won't die."_

_Kyuubi swallowed and looked away._

_Naruto stood up shakily, his body on fire, when something shot out and clasped onto his wrist._

"_Please…"_

_Naruto looked down at Kyuubi who didn't meet his eyes but kept them focused on the floor._

"_Don't go…"_

_Naruto kneeled down beside Kyuubi, then laid his body on the floor and pulled the demon close to him._

"_I'm not going anywhere," he said gently._

_Kyuubi unfurled his tails from his bare body and wrapped them around both Naruto and himself. He pulled Naruto close, wrapping his arms around the blond's waist, and buried his head in the soft golden spikes atop his head. (He was, after all, taller than Naruto even in his human form.)_

_Naruto sighed and rested his hands against Kyuubi's paler chest, letting his head drop to the crook of the demon's neck._

* * *

Tsunade's breath hitched in her throat as Kyuubi's markings previously covered by her seal started to stretch and glow red.

Naruto winced in his semi-conscious state, and Sai felt the urge to reach out and hold his lover's hand…if he wasn't already holding a seal with his fingers to focus his chakra.

Sasuke felt a stab in his heart as he watched Naruto's face contort and gasps of pain left his mouth. He didn't come back to see his dobe in pain, no, after years of not seeing the pain Naruto went through on a daily basis, he wasn't about to let the blond suffer more. Sasuke saw a tear slip down Naruto's whiskered cheek, and he wished he could hold the blond and kiss it away…kiss away everything painful that he had ever experienced until there was nothing left to hurt for.

The room tensed as a red aura surrounded Naruto's body and his whisker marks grew thicker.

Tsunade's hands shook as she continued through a succession of seals, the pressure suppressing her chakra almost too much for her to take.

"Yamato!" she saidurgently.

"Hai!"

Yamato jumped forward swiftly to the middle of the circle and placed a paper seal over Naruto's stomach.

Naruto let out a cry as the seal pulsed red before disintegrating on the spot.

Yamato jumped back beside the hokage.

"Damn," Tsunade said. "The Kyuubi's chakra is going haywire."

"How long can you keep this up?" Yamato asked.

"That depends on how long Naruto can hold off Kyuubi's chakra for." Tsunade looked sadly at the quivering blond in the center of the circle. "I know he's aware of what's going on, even if he's only half conscious. He can do this."

Yamato looked over to Naruto.

"I hope you're right."

* * *

_Kyuubi flinched and looked down as Naruto shook against him, curling his body tighter and gripping at his stomach._

_Kyuubi felt the pressure thrashing around them, suffocating the air space. But he knew that as much as he was going through, it was just as bad for Naruto, if not worse. After all, it was __**his**__ body, and suppressing demonic chakra from overtaking your body was no easy task._

"_Kit…" Kyuubi said softly. He carded a clawed hand gently through the blond's hair, trying to comfort him. "Don't give up."_

"_Kyuu…it hurts…so much…" Naruto breathed against Kyuubi's neck. "Don't know how l-long…I can…"_

_Kyuubi looked down as Naruto's voice faded and then stopped completely._

"_Kit? Kit!"_

_Kyuubi gripped Naruto's shoulders and shook him rapidly._

"_Stay awake! If you go unconscious here my chakra will take over immediately!"_

_Kyuubi's tails twitched as the red fog around the cage began to grow even thicker in seep in through the bars of the cage._

"_Naruto!!"_

_Naruto gasped as Kyuubi gave him a swift smack across the face, bringing him back to reality._

* * *

Sasuke bit his lip as Naruto's body began to shake more violently, claws growing from his fingers.

His eyes pricked as he watched Naruto writhe under his restraints. They hadn't been working for more than an hour, and already the blond was loosing control, as were the rest of them. Their chakra was no where even near rivaling Kyuubi's, now so strong that Sasuke was sure that the only thing keeping it locked away was Naruto's will power.

He would need more than that to make it through.

"_C'mon, open your eyes…I can't help you unless you do…"_ Sasuke thought impatiently.

He growled and released a burst of chakra, smashing it against the others flowing into Naruto's body.

The group lost their momentary focus, and Naruto gasped, half opening his clouded over eyes.

"_There!"_

Sasuke quickly activated his Sharingan and caught Naruto's eyes in a gaze right before they were closed again.

"Uchiha! Do you _want_ Naruto to die!?" Tsunade yelled after they all gained focus again.

Sai shot Sasuke a glare, and his brow furrowed when he saw the symbols swimming in the Uchiha's crimson eyes.

* * *

_Naruto felt like he had been punched in the gut when he felt a sharp rise in the chakra being pushed into him._

_Kyuubi held him more tightly and placed a light kiss on the top of the blond's soft spikes._

"_Nnn," Naruto whimpered, a tear rolling down his cheek from the pain._

_Kyuubi unraveled his tails and wrapped them completely around Naruto, leaving out one, creating a cocoon around the blond's body. He used the one still lying idly on the ground to wrap around his lower naked half. (Even __**he**__ had some decency.)_

_Naruto gripped the tail covering his chest, feeling the soft fur beneath his fingertips. He felt safer now, but Kyuubi's comforting did nothing to lessen the fire streaming through his body in the form of demonic chakra, writhing and attempting to escape._

_Kyuubi held Naruto tightly against his chest, one arm around his waist, his hand rubbing his kit's back soothingly, and the other buried in Naruto's golden locks._

_The fox's nose twitched suddenly, and he lifted his head from the ground and he felt the presence of a familiar chakra…but then again there were many familiar chakras whizzing around. He felt his head become dizzy as he tried to pick out the chakra he was feeling, exerting energy that he just couldn't spare. He let his head fall back down again, making a low rumbling purr in his throat to try and comfort Naruto._

"_Well, this is interesting. I always thought Naruto hated you."_

_Kyuubi flicked his dark scarlet eyes up, and they dilated a bit when he saw who it was that spoke._

"_Uchiha," he hissed, glad that Naruto was only semi-conscious. "What the hell are you doing here?"_

"_I'm here to save the dobe," Sasuke said firmly._

"_Pfft. Why should I believe you'll help my kit when you're the one who hurt him more than anyone else in the first place?"_

_Sasuke didn't say anything, but instead looked Kyuubi hard in the eyes._

"_Because right now…I'm all he's got."_

_Kyuubi was a bit taken back by this answer, and blinked a few times, registering what the correct course of action to take was. Kick him out? Let him stay? Eat him?_

_As Kyuubi pondered Naruto let his eyes flit over the demon's form._

"_Aren't you supposed to be a huge fox?" he said._

_Kyuubi tipped his head to the side and glared._

"_No dumbass, I look like this __**all**__ the time." Kyuubi scoffed. "I'm much too weak to use my normal from, and all of the human chakra in here is manipulating what shape I take."_

_Sasuke nodded. He let he gaze travel to Naruto, pressed up against Kyuubi as eight red tails twined around him like red ivy. He kneeled down and reached a hand forward to caress the soft blond tresses when his hand was smacked away by Kyuubi._

"_Hands off Uchiha," the fox growled._

_Sasuke stopped. He let his arm fall back to his side as he looked about the huge cage._

_He saw the red fog slowly seeping in and could feel its demonic nature almost immediately._

_Sasuke stood up and walked over to the bars. He pressed his hand against one and sent out a stream of chakra. The fog fled back like a wounded animal as if afraid, then sliced through Sasuke's chakra as it gained force._

"_I don't have enough chakra to hold this back…" he thought aloud. He looked over at Kyuubi._

"_I don't feel any of Naruto's chakra. Why?"_

"_My own demonic chakra is suppressing it greatly," Kyuubi replied. "So much so that Naruto can't force any of his out to push it back. Right now he's struggling to maintain his body and keep it from taking him over completely."_

"_So…that means he still has all of his chakra?"_

"_Yea, but he can't use it when he's fighting for control of his body."_

"_Wake him up."_

"_Wha-"_

"_I have an idea."_

_Kyuubi eyed Sasuke up and down, then looked down at Naruto and sighed. He didn't trust the Uchiha, but at the same time he knew very well of the raven's feelings for the blond, and he wouldn't dare hurt him more._

_Kyuubi sighed again and looked down at Naruto._

"_Kit," he said gently, shaking Naruto by the shoulder. "C'mon, open your eyes."_

_Naruto groaned and shook his head, burying it further into Kyuubi's tails that surrounded him._

"_T-tired…" he breathed. "Hurts..."_

"_I know it hurts, but I need you up now. You can't go out without a better fight."_

_Naruto cracked open one eyes, followed by the other, and looked up at Kyuubi._

"_You know a way…to help?" he said._

_Kyuubi shook his head._

"_No, but he does," he said, and pointed to Sasuke._

_Naruto's gaze met with Sasuke's, and two worlds collided. Naruto felt a rush of painful, but at the same time soothing memories flood his system, and Sasuke could do nothing but hold his breath._

_Sasuke cautiously leaned down in front of the blond._

_Naruto didn't say anything. He searched Sasuke's eyes for a moment, then looked away to the floor as if in even more pain._

"_Naruto," Sasuke said. "Look at me…"_

_Naruto didn't raise his eyes, and Sasuke felt his soul drop._

"_Please," Sasuke whispered, and Naruto's eyes widened a bit as the Uchiha embraced him. Not a small, awkward hug, but a full embrace. He wrapped one arm around Naruto's back, holding him as close as possible, and his opposite hand rested in Naruto's spiked golden locks._

"_Forgive me…" Sasuke breathed, so helplessly, so brokenly, so totally beyond Uchihaness, that Naruto felt his resolve slowly crumble as if a mountain was being fractured._

_Sasuke thought he was imagining things when he felt a tug at his shirt, but was proved wrong as the grip became harder, and he realized that two tan hands were clutching the fabric tightly._

"_Teme…" Naruto said scornfully, and then softly, "Sasuke…"_

_Sasuke pulled back and met Naruto's gaze once more._

"_Where…where have you been?" Naruto looked down at his hands clutching the raven's shirt. His expression grew angry. "All those years…where!? You leave for years and expect me to forgive you just like that!? Bastard, I--"_

_Naruto was suddenly cut off as something was pressed against his mouth. It took him a moment to realize that it was another person's—Sasuke's._

_Naruto didn't know how to react as he saw Sasuke's gently closed eyes, his black lashes resting against the pallid skin beneath them comfortably._

_He felt Sasuke caress his lips softly, tenderly, so tenderly, as if he would shatter at the wrong touch._

_Naruto realized that this wasn't like his dreams. In his dreams Sasuke's kisses had started somewhat sweet, then grew rough and demanding before he was stabbed in the back. But this…this was so…_

_It was as if Sasuke wasn't kissing him at all, but pleading, crying for forgiveness through his angel soft touches._

_Sasuke positioned one hand at the base of Naruto's neck to steady him, and the other resting on his cheek, his fingers brushing against the golden silk by his ears._

_Naruto felt his pupils dilate as he felt something hot and wet trail his mouth, and registered that it was Sasuke asking for entrance._

_Naruto may have been in pain, but his mind was in no way clouded now. His judgment wasn't smudged, his perception as clear as ever, and his anger towards the raven was burning a hole through his stomach. Why then, did he open his mouth? He couldn't really tell. He had felt his heart detonate into a thousand shards, then piece itself back together with every second that the raven caressed his lips._

_Naruto felt his eyelids fall as Sasuke's tongue cautiously explored his own, meticulously mapping out every crevice he could reach in that moist cavern._

_His heart practically leapt from out of his throat as he felt Naruto grip the front of his shirt and pull him closer as he began to kiss back._

_Kyuubi meanwhile, turned away. He knew that Naruto had been waiting for this, for Sasuke's return, but he also knew that he wouldn't give in so quickly. And yet……how much love did Naruto still harbor for the Uchiha?_

_Naruto softly groaned as his tongue and Sasuke introduced themselves to one another, before dancing and rubbing up against each other in delectably gentle friction._

_Sasuke lightly moaned himself, the sensation of kissing the only person in his life that he had ever loved so much bordering on nothing less than astonishment._

_He broke away to let Naruto gather air, and pulled the blond in close, burying his face in the sea of golden hair._

"_I promise to answer all your questions later," he said. "Right now, I think I know how to help you."_

_Naruto looked up and searched Sasuke's eyes for any hint of doubt, and finding none, he nodded._

* * *

**Ah, what an emotional chapter! ****EXTREMELY IMPORTANT POLL ON MY PROFILE!**

**Oh, and for those who didn't get the memo, I am now also posting my fics on Dev. Art for people without accounts and for people to send their fanart…cause I know no other way…-.-' My user name is ****kaito-kit.**** On my page I will also post spoilers and questions about my fics to the readers that you wouldn't find on ! :D**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune**

**Translated by Gomi-kun**


	9. All Around Me

Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None!**

* * *

**Sky-eyed Kitsune and Gomi-kun blab & Updates**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: Wooow, I've been away a while ne? Though I'm happy to say that I still continued to receive many reviews in my inbox even after the update in June!**

**Gomi-kun: Don't let the reviews go to your head. --.--**

--

**For those of you just joining the madness now, I have stopped replying to reviewers because I've got so many that it tends to take an hour to do so! X0 But please know that I treasure each review I get, and read them all. In fact when I read them they made me smile in the way that a writer does when they've realized that they have a reason to write! So sincerely, thank you all who take the time and read and review! I will though be answering questions if someone doesn't understand one part of the story or something along those lines. **

**Reviewer Question Replies:**

**No Inquiries.**

* * *

**POLL RESULTS!**

**Should Naru accept Sai's proposal:**

**Damn straight! –21 votes**

**Nuu! Sasunaru foreveh! –42 votes**

**Yes! Erm, wait no…I mean…:splode: -6 votes**

**My own personal vote was no…for now that is! :evil laugh: But it will be swimming around in Naruto's head for a while.**

**--**

**Chapter Dedication: For mmm.kai.mmm (you always spoil me with such lovely reviews ), xxtarragonxx (omg muffin O.o omnomnom), and drarythoughts (I love itakyuu too: hotness!)**

**--**

My hands are searching for you  
My arms are outstretched towards you  
I feel you on my fingertips  
My tongue dances behind my lips for you

This fire rising through my being  
Burning I'm not used to seeing you

I'm alive, I'm alive

I can feel you all around me  
Thickening the air I'm breathing  
Holding on to what I'm feeling  
Savoring this heart that's healing

My hands float up above me  
And you whisper you love me  
And I begin to fade  
Into our secret place

The music makes me sway  
The angels singing say we are alone with you  
I am alone and they are too with you

I'm alive, I'm alive

I can feel you all around me  
Thickening the air I'm breathing  
Holding on to what I'm feeling  
Savoring this heart that's healing

And so I cry  
The light is white  
And I see you

I'm alive, I'm alive, I'm alive

I can feel you all around me  
Thickening the air I'm breathing  
Holding on to what I'm feeling  
Savoring this heart that's healing

Take my hand  
I give it to you  
Now you own me  
All I am  
You said you would never leave me  
I believe you  
I believe

I can feel you all around me  
Thickening the air I'm breathing  
Holding on to what I'm feeling  
Savoring this heart that's healed

**-All Around Me by Flyleaf**

**I really love this song because it to me fits Sasuke's and Naruto relationship, even outside of this story.**

**Chapter Nine: All Around Me**

--

Tsunade shifted uneasily where she sat.

The more chakra the group pushed in to Naruto's body, the more Kyuubi's own would repress it and throw it back.

"_This isn't working,"_ she thought anxiously. _"He can't propel any of his own chakra out while keeping Kyuubi's from taking over his body. That's what we really need; not an attempt from the outside, but the inside. But the only person who could do that is…"_

Tsunade looked over to Sasuke, and was surprised to see his sharingan wildly spinning already.

"_Looks like he's a step ahead of me."_

* * *

"_Put your hand on the bars of Kyuubi's cage."_

_Naruto grimaced at Sasuke._

"_I can't; they burn me every time I try," he said._

_Sasuke furrowed his eyebrows and placed a hand on one of the bars. Nothing happened, and he shot out a flurry of chakra. The red fog around it skittered, and began to dissipate, before coming back with a vengeance._

"_It's because you're not producing chakra," Sasuke said. "You can't since your trying to prevent your body from being taken over, which means you still have all of it."_

"_I can't use it though," Naruto reminded._

"_But __**I**__ can."_

"…_what?"_

_Sasuke turned back to Naruto and met his azure eyes._

"_I need you to give me your chakra," he said. "If we can get enough chakra to push against Kyuubi's from the inside, it'll weaken from not being able to keep up with your rising chakra levels."_

"_There's already chakra flying around everywhere in here."_

"_But it's not hitting the right point. It's just whizzing around with no specific destination. If I can take your chakra and the chakra in the air and coat it over Kyuubi's cage and continue out, it'll eventually be cornered and we can flush it out with your own chakra."_

_Sasuke paused._

"_But I need you to trust me Naruto."_

_Naruto looked up at Sasuke. The raven had left for years, come back, promised to explain everything later, and now he wanted the trust that he had lost long ago?_

_The blond looked over at Kyuubi, who just stared back with indecisive eyes. Naruto sighed and nodded._

"_Ok," he said tiredly._

_Sasuke smiled a little and nodded._

_He gripped a hand on the iron bar and held out the other to Naruto. Naruto took it, albeit a little hesitantly, and winced when he felt his chakra being taken by Sasuke._

"_Sorry," Sasuke said, concentrating. He stretched a thin filament of Naruto's chakra over the cage and the fog retreated a bit, but then came back and sliced through the barrier._

"_The chakra's not strong enough," he said._

"_Because you're only letting it trickle through," Kyuubi suddenly said, and Sasuke and Naruto looked at him._

"_Chakra is exchanged through willingness and physical contact. You're just barely holding hands. You need to get closer."_

_Naruto felt his face flush, but he nodded. He sensed Sasuke delicately wrap his pale arms around his form, and against his will he felt himself immediately relax into the touch._

* * *

Sai narrowed his eyes as he the red chakra around Naruto become thicker, and for a moment he let himself believe that they had lost and the Kyuubi was taking over completely. Then he saw how the chakra was lifting into the air, skittering from Naruto's body as if it had been scorned.

Tsunade smirked. The Uchiha had things under control after all.

The group watched the chakra hover in the air as if searching blindly for its place of origin, before convulsing wildly and dissipating.

"Minna-san!" Tsunade said, the group looking to her. "I'm performing the next set of seals. Please follow and hold the last seal with me and circulate your chakra inside of Naruto."

The shinobi gave each other confused looks, but didn't dare to object in such a serious situation, and followed Tsunade as she made her hand signs.

* * *

_Naruto's body convulsed as the chakra in the air space began to move in a circle, combining themselves and making it easier for Sasuke to take in and push out over Kyuubi's cage and outward._

_Sasuke looked down at the blond in his arms. Naruto was breathing harshly and his skin was hot and sticky with sweat, his golden locks sticking to the sides of his neck and cheeks._

_Sasuke brought the blond's face into his hands, cupping his cheeks gently. Naruto's eyes remained shut as he panted and gripped the front of the raven's shirt tightly._

"_I've got you, Naruto," he said quietly, Naruto opening his eyes slightly as he felt Sasuke's breath flutter over his face. He didn't have the strength to resist when the Uchiha enveloped his lips with his own in a slow and soft kiss._

_Naruto felt a small twinge of disappointment when the raven pulled away, but it was quickly replaced by pain, and he hissed as a constricting sensation poured over his body._

_Sasuke pulled Naruto's head close to his chest, the blond's ear right over his heart as he buried his face in the sun-kissed spikes._

_Tears pooled in Naruto's eyes as he heard, as he __**felt**__, Sasuke's heartbeat through the thin cloth that was his shirt. The heart that he had thought would never come back, or had already stopped beating a long time ago._

_Naruto gripped onto Sasuke's shirt tighter as the tears spilled down his whiskered cheeks._

"_I'm here," Sasuke breathed, pulling Naruto closer in the embrace._

"_S-Sas…" Naruto choked through his tears._

* * *

Sai resisted the urge to yet again hold Naruto close as he saw a thin trickle of tears slip from the closed eyes and trail an invisible line down Naruto's whiskered cheek.

To say that the group had been there long would have been an understatement.

The hours had seemed to drag on to days as the morning faded to night. The shinobi in the circle shifted and traded their spaces with others, thoroughly exhausted. Even after six hours straight Sai eventually caved in and had to take a break.

He currently sat outside the circle, watching the red chakra sift around Naruto and fade before more was pushed out of his body. Now and again the blond would cringe or shift, but for the most part stayed still. The seal Tsunade had placed over Kyuubi's broken one was now the dominant of the two.

It didn't go unnoticed by Sai that Sasuke had yet to switch out during the entire period, and his sharingan was still activated.

Tsunade meanwhile wavered a little where she sat.

Her outer appearance belied her age, and she was at this point feeling as though she were over three hundred years old, all energy drained from her. She thanked every God she knew that it was almost over, and Naruto was still with them, still in control.

"Minna-san," Tsunade said weakly. "Please release your seal simultaneously. We have done all we possibly can."

She group unlocked their hands and let out sighs of weariness.

"Everyone go home and get some rest," Tsunade said, standing. She wobbled and would've fallen if it weren't for Gaara appearing behind her to help steady her.

She nodded thanks as the redhead released her.

"Gaara, I have a favor to ask," she said. Gaara blinked in response. "Naruto won't be taken to the hospital."

Gaara's eyes narrowed, and Tsunade sighed sadly.

"The council insists that Naruto be held in solitary confinement under the shinobi prison. The room will be sealed several times to dispel demonic power. The council is questioning the strength of the new seal, and they want Naruto to stay a week in the cell just to make sure Kyuubi doesn't break out."

"He will be given food and water, right?" Gaara said apprehensively, not liking where this was going one bit.

"He'll be given enough water for the week, but no food."

"Why?"

"We can't afford a person going in everyday to bring him food in case the Kyuubi decides to lash out."

"This is stupid," Gaara spat. "It's like a punishment."

"I want you to stay in the cell with Naruto. If Kyuubi does lash out, you would know better than anyone how to handle it. That, and I know he'll want company."

Gaara nodded.

* * *

_Naruto opened his eyes previously closed from weakness as he felt his hands sink._

_He blinked and looked at the fabric of Sasuke's shirt, and his eyes widened when he saw that the raven was slowly fading._

_Sasuke looked down at Naruto sadly. He knew that their time together was over. Outside of Naruto's mind it was a whole different story. There were other people to deal with, the issue of Naruto dating Sai, and Sasuke's genin team and probation._

"_Sasuke?" Naruto said, looking up a little._

"_The sealing is over," Sasuke said. "I have to go now. I'll see you on the outside, dobe."_

_As Sasuke pulled away and he continued to fade, Naruto fell to the ground, his legs to weak to support him._

_Sasuke swooped forward on instinct and tried to catch the blond, but he fell right through his arms as if Sasuke were just a ghost._

"_Naruto!" Sasuke said worriedly as he noticed that the Kitsune had blacked out._

"_I've got him," Kyuubi, who had been curled in a far corner of his cage the whole time, said as he walked forward. He was twitching from lack of chakra, his body used to holding near bursting amounts. He leaned down and wrapped Naruto in his thick, nine crimson tails._

_Sasuke nodded. He was almost gone completely from Naruto's subconscious when he heard Kyuubi say,_

"_Sasuke. Thank you."_

_Sasuke realized that it was the first time the demon had called him by he first name, before he disappeared._

* * *

Sasuke blinked as he came back to the sealing room, the shinobi around him talking tiredly with one another and some even collapsed on the ground from exhaustion.

Sasuke hissed and clapped a hand over his eyes, groaning softly.

Sai, currently conversing with Yamato, didn't fail to notice. Neither did Tsunade as she finished her conversation with Gaara and walked over to him, kneeling in front of the raven

"I know what you did Sasuke," she said, placing a hand on his shoulder. He had yet to remove the hand over his eyes as they stung, sending shockwaves of pain throughout the rest of his body all the way down to his toes.

"Arigatou gozaimasu Sasuke-san," Tsuande continued, bringing him into a hug. "I know that we would have lost him if you hadn't stepped in with your sharingan."

Sasuke registered something warm and wet hitting his shoulder, and it hit his mind that the hokage was crying.

Sasuke used his free hand to pat Tsunade's back lightly. Tsunade pulled away and smiled a little, feeling much more respect for the raven. If his feelings for Naruto were really just shallow, then he would have never endured the hours of pain and energy he had gone through to keep the blond alive.

"Sasuke-san, let me see your eyes," Tsunade said. She gently pulled Sasuke's hand from his eyes and told him to open them. They were bloodshot and a cloudy black, unlike the sharp onyx they had been before. Tears of pain welled on their edges, making their appearance slightly glassy.

"I can't see…" Sasuke said.

Tsunade positioned both of her hands over Sasuke's eyes.

"This will sting for a moment," she said, and after receiving a nod from Sasuke her hands glowed with a blue light.

Sasuke hissed in pain and fought his natural instinct to close his searing eyes. He finally saw a little light filtering in, and a very fuzzy image of Tsunade's hands came into view.

"Any better?" the blond asked.

"Some things are partially black. Everything else is fuzzy," he said. "But they don't hurt as much now."

"Good. Come to me once a day to repeat this until your vision clears. It's not permanent; you just strained the sharingan too much."

Sasuke nodded. He heard something shift in front of him and vaguely registered a shock of sun-kissed hair behind Tsunade.

"Where will Naruto be taken?"

Tsunade sighed.

"The council has insisted solitary confinement and-"

"What!?" Sasuke hissed.

"Let me finish," Tsunade said firmly. "He'll be kept in a cell under the shinobi prison for a week. He is allowed water and will be chained up. The seal is unstable, and the council wants to be sure that the Kyuubi won't break out. I'm sending Kazekage Sabaku no Gaara with him to stay in the cell."

Sasuke glared bitterly at the floor, biting his tongue to keep from lashing out.

Tsunade sighed again and patted the Uchiha on the shoulder before standing. She watched as three ANBU picked up the unconscious blond from the floor carefully. In the corner she saw Gaara talking to Sai, who nodded now and again. Tsunade knew that he was being told about Naruto's situation.

She motioned over Gaara and pointed to Naruto, and the Kazekage left with the blond after a swift nod to Sai.

* * *

Naruto groaned as his new seal and the old one throbbed terribly, pulsing a deep blood red on his stomach.

His eyes opened halfway, and he blinked a few times before opening them fully.

He let his eyes adjust to the darkness before his mind finally started to rustle beneath the haze of unconsciousness.

"Where am I?" he mused aloud.

"Underneath Konoha prison."

Naruto furrowed his eyebrows.

"Gaara?" he probed into the dark. He heard some shuffling in response.

"Gaara! Where am I?" Naruto said, trying to move forward. He tugged at his arms, and when they didn't budge he tried to look at his wrists, but only saw more darkness.

"Gaara! Where are you?" he said, struggling against what bound him.

Thick iron cuffs patched with suppressing seals bound his wrists, both melded to the wall. Naruto's legs were loose beneath him, but shackles hung around his ankles. His body sagged, too weak to even hold himself up.

"I'm right here," Gaara said, his voice much closer. Naruto felt the redhead place a hand on his forehead, and he calmed slightly.

"You have on a blindfold. The council is keeping you in solitary confinement for a week to test the new seal. It's unstable and the Kyuubi could still get out. Tsunade asked me to accompany you here."

"I see…" Naruto said, emotion slipping from his face. "Can you take off my blindfold?"

"I can't. It has a suppressing seal over it," Gaara said. Naruto nodded slightly in response. It was quiet for a moment until Naruto spoke up again.

"I'm sorry you have to stay here with me."

"I don't _have_ to do anything. Tsunade _asked_ me if I would, and I said yes," Gaara said firmly, and Naruto smiled a little.

Naruto's mind ran over the sealing again. He didn't even remember being carried beneath the Konoha prison, and he concluded that he must have passed out. The last thing Naruto remembered was—

"_The sealing is over. I have to go now. I'll see you on the outside, dobe."_

"Sasuke," Naruto said under his breath.

"What?" Gaara said, raising a non-existent eyebrow.

"Nothing," Naruto sighed. He shifted and lifted his head more to let it rest against the stone behind him.

"Hey Gaara, can I ask you something?"

"If this has anything to do with that shot of tequila I gave Rock Lee-"

"No no! Nothing to do with that!"

"Hn…ok then."

Naruto sighed audibly again.

"Gaara…you and Neji are dating right?"

"Yes."

"What would you do if Neji asked you to marry him?"

Gaara paused for a moment before answering.

"I would probably say yes."

"Because you love Neji, right?"

"Yea."

"But what if you didn't love him as much as you thought?"

"Huh?"

"Like what if someone you used to love a long time ago came back and you still loved them? Like Lee or something?"

"Lee?" Gaara said incredously.

"Just as an example!"

"Tch, fine." Gaara paused to think. "Then I'd probably tell Neji to wait for me and spend time with both him and Lee."

"Wouldn't that be cheating on Neji?"

"It wouldn't matter. It would be helping me make my decision, or else I wouldn't say yes to Neji or get together with Lee because I wouldn't know who to pick."

Naruto nodded.

"That makes sense…thanks Gaara."

"Hn."

The cell was silent.

"…so about that tequila and Lee-"

"Shut up."

* * *

Sasuke stood outside the Konoha Prison, hands shoved in his pockets and Uchiha glare firmly in place.

No one but the Hokage and Gaara had been allowed to accompany Naruto beneath the prison to be sealed.

He stood with a small group of people, mostly consisting of the rookie nine and a few women that he supposed had to be some of Naruto's fangirls. He scanned the small group one more time, and then he furrowed his eyebrows.

"_Where's Sai?"_

* * *

Tsunade's chair groaned as she sat back in it, a cup of sake locked into her hand.

She let out a tired sigh, swirling around the sake in the cup.

Tsuande admitted while it was just a precaution to keep Naruto locked up for the week, the excuse of a threat belied the fear under the surface of the council. It was true that they had accepted Naruto now and he was very loved by the village, but people were fickle. If Kyuubi's power even flickered again, everyone could turn their backs on the blond.

Tsunade watched the liquid in her cup swirl as she thought before finally tossing it down her throat.

She turned in her chair to glance out the window behind her that overlooked the village, when a red mark on her calendar caught her eye.

Tsunade was not an organized person. She didn't keep important documents in locked drawers, or file the mission reports she was given. And thus, the calendar Shizune had given to her to write important dates on, was normally blank.

Tsuande scrunched her eyes a little, and she almost slapped herself when she saw the note under the date two days away.

_Naruto goes into heat._

* * *

**Nyhaha, I'm an evil thing am I not? XD**

**IMPORTANT:**

**Remember waaay back in the beginning of this story when I said there would be no lemons? Well I realize that now I lied because I am definitely planning lemony goodness XDD But I know that has rules against really hard sexual stuff, so during the parts that there will be lemons I will post a link for those of you to read it on my deviantart account. You don't have to have an account to read it. I'll now also be posting the fanart I've received on my page! They are for my different stories, and one even for a story that won't be published on until late fall! :D**

**Cheers!**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune**

**Translated by Gomi-kun**


	10. Heat

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None!**

* * *

**Blab & Updates**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: Got this chapter out nice and quick for y'all…cause I'm such a perv XD**

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**For those of you just joining the madness now, I have stopped replying to reviewers because I've got so many that it tends to take an hour to do so! X0 But please know that I treasure each review I get, and read them all. In fact when I read them they made me smile in the way that a writer does when they've realized that they have a reason to write! So sincerely, thank you all who take the time and read and review! I will though be answering questions if someone doesn't understand one part of the story or something along those lines. **

**Reviewer Question Replies:**

**No Inquiries.**

**--**

**Chapter Dedication: This is for Lilia0, Sasukegirl777, and sans-fire. Thanks for the loverly reviews! Now read!!**

* * *

**Chapter Ten: Heat**

--

"Tsunadeeeee!" Jiraiya chirped as he entered the Hokage's office, a brown bottle-shaped paper bag in his hand. "I heard about Naruto's successful sealing and thought we should celebr-"

Jiraiya stopped when he saw Tsunade 's face flat on her desk atop a pile of mission reports, five empty sake bottles littered around her.

"You got drunk without me!" he whined, crocodile tears spilling down his painted cheeks. He sighed as he sat down in the chair in front of her desk.

He lifted the bag covered bottle in his hand forlornly.

"Guess we can't drink the special sake I brought from the festival in the Rain Country…"

Jiraiya almost flew back when's Tsunade's head whipped up and she snatched the bottle from the old man's grip, holding it protectively against her. Jiraiya swore he heard her hiss.

He smirked as the blonde tore the bottle from the bag and ripped off the lid, pouring out the liquid into a cup that had been laying haphazardly on her desk beside and empty sake bottle.

"Couldn't even wait for me to start celebrating, ne?" he said, crossing his legs as he leaned back in the chair comfortably.

"What's there to celebrate?" Tsunade grumbled, downing the first cup. Her cheeks turned a light shade of pink from the alcohol.

"The sealing of course! Naruto's sealing is finished and was successful so I hear."

"For the most part I guess."

"Eh?"

"The council locked him in a solitary confinement cell to make sure the seal is working. He'll be there for a week."

"Ah, I see. Well there's nothing we can really do. Once the old prunes have decided on something they rarely change their minds.'

Tsunade snorted and Jiraiya raised an eyebrow.

"What? Is there something else?" he asked suspiciously. "It's only been two days since the sealing; what could have happened?"

Tsunade grabbed an empty sake bottle from her desk and flung it behind her at the calendar on the wall. It shattered loudly, shards clinking as they hit the wooden floor.

Jiraiya squinted his worn eyes to see what the marked place on the calendar said from where he was sitting.

"So Naruto goes into heat today," he mused. "Well this actually turned out well then. Naruto is usually locked up at Iruka's otherwise. So what's the prob-"

Jiraiya stopped himself and narrowed his eyes.

"You're not telling me something," he said skeptically, and Tsunade slammed her head down on her desk repeatedly.

She finally stopped after a moment and mumbled,

"Gaara Sabaku is in the confinement chamber with him."

Jiraiya blinked owlishly for a moment, before he leaned over in his chair, gripped the top of Tsunade's hair, and helped her slam her head down onto the desk again.

* * *

_5,742_

_5,743_

_5,744_

Gaara reasoned that even if he was spending a lifetime in the solitary confinement room he would never finish counting the dots on the stone ceiling.

Two days in the cell had gone by surprisingly quickly. Naruto had been to weak to stay awake for more than thirty minutes at a time, but they managed to slip in brief conversations during those times. Naruto would wince and wriggle under his restraints, but otherwise the room was quiet. Gaara would wake him up every now and then to offer water, but for the most part the redhead had caught up on all the sleep he had been deprived of when he was housing his demon.

Gaara turned his head from his leaning position against the wall as he heard Naruto groan and stir slightly.

One blue and one red eye fluttered open, cloudy from the after haze of sleep. Naruto shifted his body clasped to the wall and his eyes landed on Gaara.

"How long has it been?" he asked tiredly.

"Two days," Gaara replied, and Naruto heaved a heavy sigh. He shifted and wriggled again against the wall.

"Man, why is it so hot in here?" he groaned.

"It's not hot. It's the same temperature it was two days ago."

Naruto screwed his eyes shut and wriggled more.

"Are you joking? It's practically burning in here!"

Gaara raised an invisible eyebrow, and froze at the scent of heat reeking off of Naruto. Shukaku may have been gone, but he left Gaara the little gift of heightened senses.

"_Oh God,"_ Gaara thought. He rubbed his temple with his pointer finger and thumb, pinching the bridge of his nose. _"Tsunade must have forgotten…"_

"Gaara, it's so hot…" Naruto breathed, his face flushed pink and hair clinging to his neck and tan skin. Even though Gaara was dating Neji, he had to admit that the blond looked damn sexy.

"You're in heat Naruto," Gaara said bluntly, and Naruto groaned, slamming his head back against the wall.

"Tsunade hag!" he said in half-hearted anger; he was too hot to release it all. He flet spikes of molten lava shoot up and down his spine, stretching and dividing into his limbs and swarming down to his fingertips and toes. "She didn't tell me…"

Gaara sighed again as Naruto slipped into a weak slumber once more. He crossed his arms and shook his head.

Heat was painful for a demon. They would lash out, insides burning on overload and searing their body until they found relief. Gaara knew from experience.

He turned as a small cloud suddenly appeared in the sealing room, and he sent a blank look to the intruder.

"Uchiha," he said impassively.

"Sabaku," Sasuke replied back just as blankly. He looked over at Naruto in his flushed appearance and approached him carefully. Gaara didn't stop the raven as he placed a hand on Naruto's searing forehead.

"So, want to tell me how you got past all the locks and seals?" Gaara said, leaning once more against the wall.

"I didn't train for ten years away from Konoha without bringing back some experience," Sasuke said, removing his hand from Naruto's forehead. "What wrong with Naruto?"

"He's in heat."

There was a pause in the room as Sasuke looked back at the blond. He ran a thumb down one of the whisker marks, tracing the line down to his chin.

"He's in a lot of pain," Gaara continued nonchalantly. "Demon heats are like torture unless the person gets some relief from another."

Gaara waited for the Uchiha to start kissing the blond, stripping his clothes and telling himself that it was for Naruto's sake and not his own. And he thought that he wouldn't have to wait long when he saw the raven press a kiss to Naruto's forehead. That is, until he turned away and walked back towards Gaara.

"You need to help him," he said, looking into the impassive jade eyes sternly.

"Why don't _you_? I have no feelings more than friendship for Naruto, but you are in love with him." He mentally laughed when Sasuke raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"How did you know?" the raven asked suspiciously, and this time Gaara smirked.

"I'm good with reading people's emotions," he shrugged. "Now then, why aren't you helping him if you love him so much?"

"I don't know if Naruto loves me," Sasuke said, looking away. "If things ever did get that intimate, then I would want us to have sex because we love each other, not because Naruto's demon is on an emotional lust rampage." He looked back at Gaara. "That's' why you need to help him."

"Won't you get jealous?"

"You and Naruto are best friends and nothing more, you just said so yourself. I know that it's to ease his pain."

Gaara saw the spark of envy in Sasuke's eyes, but also determination. The redhead inwardly smirked.

Sasuke had passed his little test.

"Fine," Gaara said. He knew that if Neji really loved him like he knew he did and he told him the situation he wouldn't be angry.

Sasuke look at Naruto once more with a slightly remorseful gaze before disappearing.

* * *

_Naruto blinked his eyes open when he heard the sound of dripping water to find himself a foot from Kyuubi's cage._

"_Kyuu?" Naruto called. He slipped into the cage, thankful when the bars no longer burned him. He looked around in the darkness and finally his eyes settled on Kyuubi walking his way_

"_I'm glad you're OK," Naruto said. He scrunched his eyebrows when he saw that Kyuubi was still in a human form. "What's wrong? Why aren't you a fox?" he voiced aloud._

"_I'm still recovering from all the human chakra in here," Kyuubi said, stopping in front of Naruto, his red eyes gleaming._

_Kyuubi ran a hand through his blond hair slick with sweat from the heat radiating off his body._

"_You on the other hand, smell delicious," the demon said, moving behind Naruto and gripping his hips with clawed hands._

"_Kyuu, s-stop," Naruto said half-heartedly, his brain struggling to win over lust and losing terribly._

_Kyuubi ran a tongue up the back of Naruto's neck, tasting his sweat._

"_You taste good," he breathed, moving his hips against Naruto's backside, and the blond couldn't bite back a moan._

"_Sto-hah-s-stop," Naruto groaned as Kyuubi slipped a hand under his shirt, grazing his skin with tantalizing claws._

_Kyuubi chuckled. "Look at you, already too overwhelmed to barely even speak. Imagine if I were fucking you."_

_Kyuubi turned Naruto around and bucked their hips together and Naruto threw his head back as a cool wave spread over his heated body._

"_**Naruto?"**_

_Naruto wriggled from Kyuubi as he heard Gaara call his name, and reluctantly parted from the demon, disappearing from Kyuubi's depths as fast as he could while he had his lust on a leash for the moment._

* * *

Gaara shook Naruto lightly again and called his name.

He was, the least to say, embarrassed to even be asking his friend if he wanted him to have sex with him. It was uncomfortable on too many levels to count.

Naruto's eyes flashed open and met Gaara's and the redhead's eyes widened as Naruto swooped his head forward as far as he could to capture the redhead's lips in a needy kiss.

Gaara pulled away quickly and Naruto wriggled against his restraints, panting from the unbearable heat cloud that was sucking his body in deeper and deeper.

"Gaara, so hot- hah- I…"

"I know," Gaara said. "I'll make it stop."

* * *

**LEMON HERE. GO TO MY PROFILE FOR THE LINK.**

* * *

Sasuke suddenly sneezed violently, causing his guard, Kakashi, to jump a little in surprise beside him.

* * *

--

**There's an old saying that when you suddenly sneeze someone is talking about you. Kukuku. I'm an evil authoress, am I not? How many of you saw that coming? (or not?) Tell me in your reviews! I'm interested to hear who you thought would get to do the nasty with Naru ;D**

**And the chapter SEEMED short because the lemon was very long XD**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune**

**Translated by Gomi-kun**


	11. Empty

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None!**

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**Sky-eyed Kitsune and Gomi-kun blab & Updates**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: Sorry, I know I said November 1****st**** ^^'' Lordy I have exams coming up . Anyways, thank you all who participated and voted on the pieces of Naruto artwork I posted on my page! Please enjoy the chapter! ;) But you all are going to love me and hate me at the same time by the end of this one…**

**EDIT: Sorry! During Gomi-kun's rush to translate this chapter names were mixed up in translation, please forgive the confusion!!**

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**For those of you just joining the madness now, I have stopped replying to reviewers because I've got so many that it tends to take an hour to do so! X0 But please know that I treasure each review I get, and read them all. In fact when I read them they made me smile in the way that a writer does when they've realized that they have a reason to write! So sincerely, thank you all who take the time and read and review! I will though be answering questions if someone doesn't understand one part of the story or something along those lines. ^^**

**Reviewer Question Replies:**

**No Inquiries.**

**Chapter Dedication: This one's for mmm. kai mmm, littleichigo, and toontwins (check out her art on deviantart!) Thanks for all the lovely reviews!! :D They keep me going!**

**-----**

**Chapter Eleven: Empty**

--

Naruto breathed in deeply, pulling the warm air around him into his lungs and containing it there for a moment before exhaling from his nose.

He opened his eyes just barely enough to see through his eyelashes so he wouldn't be blinded by light. Deeming it much dimmer than he thought, he let his eyelids raise the rest of the way.

He was facing the black bars of Kyuubi's cage, the air circulating in the chamber warm and tinged a premature ember color from chakra.

Naruto sat up, realizing now that he was lying down on the ground. He felt movement behind him and looked over to his opposite side.

Kyuubi, still in his human-like state, was curled beside him. Four of his soft lush tails were wrapped around himself, and the other four cocooning Naruto in a blanket of orange fur.

Naruto blinked.

"_How did I get here…?"_

He yawed, his sharper than average canines glistening in the muted light of the demonic chakra swirling around.

"Kyuubi?" he said, nudging Kyuubi with his palm. A low rippling growl emanated from the kitsune, but nothing more.

"Kyuubi," Naruto tired again, this time shaking the fox a little.

"Mrfm?" Kyuubi grunted. He opened one eye. "What are you doing up Naruto?"

"What do you mean? Why am I here? What's going on?" Naruto asked sternly.

Kyuubi sat up, stretching his arms out and cracking his clawed fingers. He shook out his red mane of hair and licked his dry lips.

"Don't worry, you're just in post heat," he said. It must have been a powerful heat for Naruto to loose his memory. Then again it was common when a demon with through heat with a willing partner to temporarily forget their actions in the past week.

"This hasn't ever happened after heat," Naruto murmured, scratching the back of his head.

"Because you've never had a partner during heat."

"Partner? What the hell!? I've never had a partner! Not even Sai!"

"Calm down. You'll remember in a few hours. Until then you need to rest. This was the most draining heat session on you yet and your stamina is extremely low, as is mine."

Kyuubi patted the space next to him on the ground, and Naruto rolled his eyes with an exaggerated sigh and let himself fall back on the floor.

The Kyuubi wrapped his tails around the blond and pulled him against his chest, sharing their body heat.

Naruto at this point realized in fact how drained he really was; that little outburst had worn him completely out.

He felt his eyelids grow heavy, and he slipped into a weak slumber beside his demon once again.

* * *

Gaara roused from his light sleep as the felt new chakra presences, and the demon seals on the door to the confinement room dissipated.

It swung open and Tsunade, along with Jiraiya and Iruka, stepped in.

"Naruto's week is up," Tsunade informed the redhead now standing up.

Gaara let his jade eyes follow Jiraiya's hands as they made the necessary seals to release Naruto from his shackles and chains.

He fell limp immediately and Iruka caught him. In the light spilling through the half open door Gaara could make out the dried tearstains on his face, no doubt from worrying about Naruto.

The brunette teacher gathered Naruto into his arms, and Jiraiya led him out.

Tsunade stood beside the door and held out a hand.

"After you, Kazekage-sama."

* * *

Gaara admitted, as nice as it was to catch up on all the sleep he had missed while being confined with Naruto, he had missed the pleasant sensation of a soft chair instead of a hard brick floor.

He felt himself melt a little into the comfortable cushioning of the chair in front of Tsunade's desk, and frankly the blond didn't blame him. Of course the kazekage would never let himself look so at leisure if it wasn't just Tsunade and himself.

"I suppose you'll want a full report, ne?" he asked, closing his eyes and leaning his head back.

"Yes," Tsunade said, interlacing her hands on her desk. "Any problems?"

Gaara shook his head.

"To sum up this week, Naruto was very weak throughout and slept for at the minimum sixteen hours a day. He would frequently wake up every three to four hours in a sort of daze. We would converse if he wasn't too tired, and he would fall back into sleep fifteen minutes later. When he woke in a hot and flustered frenzy, I calmed him."

"Sounds like the usual heat," Tsuande said. "I am a little concerned about his energy level though. He's usually much more active during heat, sleeping at the most twelve hours a day."

"The sealing technique you put him through was excruciatingly painful and tiresome, so I assume he needs more time to recover," Gaara said. "But there's one thing that I saw during my confined time with Naruto that worries me."

Tsunade nodded for the kazekage to continue.

"At times when Naruto would sleep, his newly secured seal would pulse. When I touched it during these times I felt a searing burning sensation, though it left no mark whatsoever on my hand."

Tsuande paused, swallowing hard.

"I believe these were signs of the seal breaking before the jutsu, yes?" Gaara continued. "But I have a feeling that it is not breaking, rather the excess chakra that you pumped into Naruto is searching for a way out, and it finds this through the seal. The seal is not fully contained, so the additional chakra can filter through. It's of course painful, and might take a little while."

Tsunade nodded.

"That makes sense," she agreed. She stood from her desk and walked around, Gaara following suit.

"Well Kazekage-sama, I don't know how exactly to thank you."

"Letting myself and my siblings stay a few more days here in Konoha would be nice."

"Of course."

Tsunade exited her room and walked down the hallway, her hokage robes billowing out behind her as Gaara's fluttered calmly at his heels.

"Do you intend to stay for Naruto's physical?" she asked. Gaara shook his head.

"I'm meeting up with my sister before she throws a conniption fit about me not eating for a week."

Tsunade nodded, and Gaara turned down a flanking hallway.

"Gaara-sama," Tsunade called, and the redhead paused in his walk. Tsunade grinned in a feral manner. "Enjoy being seme?"

Gaara faltered a little in his walk out the door.

* * *

Naruto let his eyelids lift of their own free will, slowly and almost cautiously.

He blinked up at the stark white ceiling over him, and closed his eyes again quickly at the brightness.

"So, you're awake."

Naruto opened one eye a crack and turned his head to see Tsunade checking over a monitor attached to a needle in his wrist. He was laying on a white hospital bed beside a window overlooking the village.

"Baa-chan?" he breathed. He attempted to sit up, but the hokage placed a hand on his chest and firmly pushed him back down.

"Maa maa, I don't expect you to be up until tomorrow," she said. She shifted her gaze from the monitor to the blond. "How're you feeling?"

"Kinda dazed," Naruto said truthfully. "Kyuubi said that I won't remember anything about my heat for a couple hours."

"Then I'd go with what he says on that," Tsunade nodded. "There were no unusual reports of anything happening during your heat, so I'd say the sealing jutsu was a success."

Naruto smiled weakly.

"But I'd be careful," Tsunade continued. "Your newly secured seal is pulsing and trying to pump out the excess chakra in your body, so you'll be in pain for a while. I'm prescribing you some painkillers and plenty of rest for at least a week."

"A week?" Naruto said, glaring.

"Yes a week, and if you argue with me I'll make it longer," Tsunade grit out. Naruto shut his mouth. "While you're here overnight you can have visitors."

"No fangirls please," Naruto begged, his blue eyes turning big and glassy.

"Fine, fine," Tsunade said, waving a hand as she made for the door. "Now get some rest or I'll make you."

Naruto sighed and melted into the bed sheets.

* * *

During the hours between that morning and well into midnight a flood of visitors came in and out of Naruto's room.

The first were Jiraiya and Iruka. Iruka burst in, bawling his eyes out as Jiraiya followed from behind, rolling his eyes. It took Jiraiya and two other Jounin to separate iruka from the blond after an hour.

A little later Chouji and Ino stopped by with Shino, Hinata, and Kiba. Naruto was overjoyed to see Hinata's belly swelling with her soon to be born child. Shino was smiling proudly as he stood beside his timid wife. Naruto was even allowed to rub Hinata's stomach a little before watchdog (or more like watchbug) Shino mode kicked in and he pulled her away.

Throughout the day presents arrived from those who couldn't visit. Gaara and his siblings sent a vase of rare sand lilies, and Ino and Chouji, who were on their honeymoon, had a basket of ramen delivered.

Shikamaru visited briefly, regaling his captain about what he had missed mission wise, before leaving for sentry duty on the south borders of Konoha.

Sakura of course sent a bundle of cherry blossoms, too busy to visit as she worked at the clinic with other patients.

Naruto was thankful that Tsunade had insisted that Gai stay out of Naruto's room, explaining that he wasn't strong enough yet to handle his youthful greetings.

Lee and Tenten came later in the evening, and Naruto was happy to hear that fuzzybrows had finally mustered up the courage to propose and the two were now happily engaged.

"So Narutooo," Tenten chimed, a chesire cat grin spreading across her lips. "A little birdie told me that Sai proposed to you too!"

Naruto swallowed hard, a blushing creeping up on him.

"Ano…uh…"

"So? Whatcha gonna say???" Tenten pressed. If she had a tail it would have been going wild.

"That's enough," Lee said, pulling his fiancé with him to the door. "Let's let Naruto-kun rest now."

Tenten waved enthusiastically and Lee grinned widely before they exited.

Naruto sighed deeply, and tilted his head to look out the window.

The memories of his heat had come back to him, just as Kyuubi had said they would. He didn't know how he would repay Gaara for staying with him the whole time. But what really was scraping at the doggie door of his mind was what Sai's reaction would be. He had to tell him about what went on sometime or another.

Then there was that proposal.

…marriage? To Sai?

Naruto bit his lip and looked down to his lap.

He loved Sai, he did, but enough to marry him, to be together with him always? Did Sai really love him that much? Would he really be willing to make such a serious commitment?

Naruto closed his eyes, and suddenly he remembered whose name he had called out in the darkness of the confinement room.

"_S-Sa…Sasuke!!"_

Naruto pulled his pillow from under him and mashed it over his head, shutting his eyes tightly.

Sasuke? He knew that he loved Sai, so why did he say Sasuke? He hadn't spent time with Sasuke in years, and only saw him once or twice since he had come back.

Naruto sighed again.

He knew that he was lying to himself, trying to convince himself otherwise about his feelings for the raven. Sasuke had, and always would take up a place in his heart that no matter how hard he would try to erase, would always stay there.

This needing for the Uchiha ran deep like a wound, never healing or closing up. It ran in rivulets through his body, maintaining the connection to Sasuke that neither he nor the raven could sever.

But just how deep was "deep"? Deep enough to hold off Sai's proposal to give the raven a chance? Deep enough to fall again, hopelessly, madly, passionately…?

Deep enough to make him leave Sai?

* * *

Night fell and a blanket of darkness overlapped the hospital room Naruto slept in, save for the shard of moonlight spilling in through the open curtains of the window by his bed.

The moonlight was blocked however, by a figure casting a long shadow over the room, perched on the window sill.

The dark figure swept forward, moving soundlessly around Naruto's bed to the other side.

A pale had reached out to the sleeping blond's face, when the wrist was caught in an iron grip and the figure was pinned down to the bed, a kunai digging into its neck.

Naruto blinked away the sleep in his eyes as he identified his intruder.

"…Sasuke?" he said as the handsome face framed by raven locks came into view.

"Still alert I see," Sasuke said, smirking a little, and Naruto felt his heart sting. That smirk was so familiar, so comforting to see after so long.

"Why are you here?" Naruto said sternly, pressing the kunai further into the pallid neck, drops of ruby blood spilling in a line down it.

"Why else dobe? To see you."

Naruto blinked a few times, before gritting his teeth and pressing the kunai as deep as he could into Sasuke's flesh without killing him.

"Is this some kind of sick joke?" he hissed. Sasuke furrowed his brow in confusion.

"Joke?" he repeated unsurely. "Why would this be a joke?"

Naruto leaned his arm back some as he took in the serious look on the Uchiha's face.

He finally let his arm go limp, letting it drop beside him and the kunai clatter nosily to the floor.

He looked away from Sasuke, not wanting to see his face.

"Why…?" he said so softly that Sasuke had to lean in to hear.

"Because I was worried about you," he said. Naruto scoffed harshly.

"Me? You're worried about me? Were you worried about me when you slammed a chidori through my chest? Or maybe your katana? The only thing you were ever worried about was your brother. Getting power no matter what the cost, just to kill him. To even subject yourself to serving someone like Orochimaru, just so you could destroy him…" Naruto shook his head and chuckled lightly.

"Naruto, you don't understa-"

"What? I don't understand how it feels to be alone?" Naruto cut off. "I don't know what it's like to watch something being taken from you, something you know that you'll never get back? I haven't felt the addictive sensation of revenge? How it pours into you like a drug, and you won't be satisfied until the addiction is answered?"

Narutp gripped the fabric around Sasuke's shirt and tugged him forward so that they were eye to eye.

"You know nothing about me," he said.

"But I want to," Sasuke said, staring Naruto down. "I want to know."

"Why? Why the hell would you care?"

"Because…"

"Because what Sasuke?"

Sasuke withdrew his gaze and pulled back, Naruto releasing his grip on his collar. The raven sighed and sat down on the end of Naruto's bed.

"I wanted to tell you," he said. "I thought that if I did, maybe you could help me figure something out, but then I thought, it's nothing at all." He looked back at the blond. "When we were thirteen, going on missions together with all of team seven, I felt something, like an aching…" He pointed to the center of his chest. "…right here. I only ever felt it when I was around you though, so I avoided you and trained more to get my mind off of it. I thought I was maybe sick of you. But I found that I wanted to go and meet you on the training grounds, just to talk to you, to be near you somehow. All the times I tried to ask you what I was feeling, I ended up sputtering this string of insults that would end in us having a glaring match."

Naruto examined Sasuke's face as he talked, the emotions that passed over it softly. He had never seen the raven so expressive before.

It was beautiful.

"When we fought at the valley of end, I realized that the ache I was fearing was still there, and I couldn't kill you. So I left. Three years later the aching I felt didn't recede, but instead grew stronger. I could feel it pulsing through my chest whenever I thought of you back here in Konoha. I wanted to see you again…just for the sake of seeing you. It was at this point I realized that I felt something for you, something more than friendship. To cure my aching I asked Orochimaru for spying missions in Konoha so I could see you. Even though we couldn't talk, I could still watch you train and get stronger for the next time you would chase me. I always looked for ward to that chase, to actually stand right in front of you, and even spar together."

"Then Orochimaru stopped giving me spying missions, and any and all connections with you were severed from me. So instead I sated myself with the thought that in a year or two your would come to chase me again, and I would see you."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes.

"Then you stopped chasing me. Why?"

Naruto's mind was reeling with this new information that he almost didn't decipher Sasuke's words. He tore his gaze away from Sasuke and looked down at his lap.

He felt a force grip his chin lightly and push it up so that he and Sasuke were once more eye to eye.

"Why," the raven said again; not a question this time, but a demand.

Naruto felt the back of his eyes sting with tears building up, and he did his best to block them out.

"I gave up," he said hollowly.

"You gave up?" Sasuke repeated as if he had heard wrong. "You, Uzumaki Naruto, _gave up?_"

"You say it like it never happens. People give up all the time Sasuke."

"Not you, Naruto. You always talked about how you would never give up, not on me. That you would break every bone in my body and drag me back to Konoha if you had to. Was that all a lie?"

"No," Naruto said firmly. "I meant it. And after years of chasing you, I reached my breaking point. Sasuke, Kyuubi said I was dying."

Sasuke's pupils dilated in the moonlight spilling in through the window.

"He said that I was training myself too hard, to the point where I was physically harming my body. Even Tsuande said that if I had kept going at that rate, I wouldn't be alive right now."

Sasuke let his hand fall as he released Naruto's chin.

How could he? How could he demand an explanation? How could he be mad at Naruto for giving up when it was literally killing him?

"You were my dream, Sasuke," Naruto said quietly, and Sasuke looked at him to see tears spilling down the whiskered cheeks and pattering on the bed sheet softly.

"I never wanted to give up on you Sasuke, but I couldn't take it anymore. After I stopped chasing you I hated myself for it. I didn't talk to anyone for over a year and took missions every chance I could to keep my mind off of it. Even today I still take on heavy and long missions so that I won't ever let my mind drift back to it, so that I won't feel so…"

Naruto screwed his eyes shut to stop the flow of tears as he gripped the stark white sheets between his fingers.

"…empty."

Sasuke's mind was in a daze as Naruto's shoulder shook from suppressing his tears. He reached out his arms and cautiously placed them around Naruto.

The blond stiffened but made no objection, and let the raven embrace him lightly.

"Naruto," Sasuke breathed, and Narutp felt like he had been punched in the stomach. Hearing his name through the lips of someone he thought long gone, someone he would never see again…it burned.

"I didn't come back to satisfy the ache I was feeling because Itachi was out there, and I knew he would hunt me down, along with anyone I held close," Sasuke continued. "So I waited until I had killed him and Orochimaru to come back."

Sasuke released his embrace and moved back to look at Naruto, whose eyes were open again and glassy with unshed tears.

"Now I'm here. Now I can say without the worry of Itachi or Orochimaru or anyone else, that I came back for one reason and one reason always."

Sasuke cupped Naruto's face in his hands, smoothing out the wetness the tears had left behind on Naruto's whiskered cheeks.

"I love you, Naruto."

* * *

**Cliffie, I know, hehe. I apologize for any grammar mistakes, but Gomi was studying for his exams and could only translate the chapter and then look over it for grammar briefly, so pardon any mistakes!**

**Feed meh reviews omnomnomnom**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune**

**Translated by Gomi-kun**


	12. Bruises Underneath

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None!**

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**Sky-eyed Kitsune and Gomi-kun blab & Updates**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: To make up for the last late chapter I stayed up last night getting this one done ;) In the last chapter Gomi translated too quickly and mixed up some names, so sorry for the confusion! O.o''**

**WARNING: This is a very unpleasant chapter for Naruto. And if you're wondering then yes, there is a short rape in this chapter. T.T :sniffle: I'm sorry!!**

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**For those of you just joining the madness now, I have stopped replying to reviewers because I've got so many that it tends to take an hour to do so! X0 But please know that I treasure each review I get, and read them all. In fact when I read them they made me smile in the way that a writer does when they've realized that they have a reason to write! So sincerely, thank you all who take the time and read and review! I will though be answering questions if someone doesn't understand one part of the story or something along those lines. ^^**

**Reviewer Question Replies:**

**-No, this is NOT an Mpreg story. I plan to make Naruto preggers in another one of mine, but no, not this one. ;) (Everyone take a deep breath!)**

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**Chapter Dedication: I don't think anyone wants this chapter dedicated to them, since it's really not a pleasant one.**

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**-----**

**Chapter Twelve: Bruises Underneath**

--

Sasuke didn't know what he saw first after his confession: Naruto's eyes widen, the grit in his teeth, or the thwacking sound of the blond's fist pummeling into his face slamming him across the room to the opposite wall. He did however know that it had hurt.

A LOT.

Naruto said up, his fist still stretched out and the skin on his knuckles split open from punching the Uchiha so hard. He panted, all of the energy he had having been used to deliver that one blow, but it was well worth the sacrifice.

"Fucking liar," he hissed.

Sasuke leaned against the wall with one hand as he picked himself up, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth with the other.

"I'm not lying," he said sternly.

"If you loved me then you wouldn't have left," Naruto shot back.

"I told you, I was confused!"

"You could have just fucking told me!"

"I wouldn't have known how! How do you tell your best friend that you love them, huh? And to top it off we're both guys! I was beyond confused! I didn't know what to do!"

"Well it doesn't matter anymore now, does it? You're too late Sasuke, I'm with Sai now."

Sasuke clenched his fists.

"Why are you with him Naruto?"

"Because I care about him and he cares about me."

"Do you love him?"

"Of course I-"

"No, do you really love him? Honestly, truly? Enough to accept his proposal?"

"How the hell do you know about that!?"

Sasuke realized that he was now treading on dangerous waters since Naruto would know that he had been spying on him.

Sasuke shook his head. "It doesn't matter! Do you really love him?"

Naruto narrowed his eyes dangerous.

"Get the hell out of my sight Sasuke. There are no more second chances, and whether or not I choose to accept Sai's proposal is my business."

Sasuke knew that he wasn't going to get much further with Naruto angry, and so he went to the open window ledge. He perched himself on it, and with one last wavering looked back at Naruto, slipped under the cover of night.

* * *

The next morning Naruto was released from the hospital after his physical examination. Tsunade prescribed him some pain medication and plenty of rest before sending him on his way. She had at first insisted he receive an escort, but Naruto had calmed the hokage and told her that he could make it fine on his own.

Naruto gripped the bottle of medication in his hand as he walked down the village's dirt road. He smiled weakly as the citizens of Konoha smiled and waved at him, and children called his name in glee and gave him big smiles.

He breathed a sigh of relief when he reached his and Sai's apartment. His limbs felt weak and drained, almost like all of the energy had been sucked from them just from the walk.

He unlocked the front door and stepped in shakily. He shut the door and took a step forward when suddenly his legs gave out on him from exhaustion and his knees collided with the wooden planks under his feet, his hands following shortly to support himself.

His body shook violently and he felt sick to his stomach, his vision becoming a blurry kaleidoscope of objects and colors.

Naruto shut his eyes tightly, his body racking with the soft cries that escaped his throat, tears pattering to the floor and seeping into the dry wood.

It was too much to deal with. Sai and Sasuke, recovering from the ceiling, dealing with the knowledge that in less than a week he would be inaugurated as hokgae…he couldn't take much more.

Naruto shook his head and managed to push himself up off the floor. He made his way blinding to the bedroom, his fingers fumbling with the doorknob as he opened it.

He made out a figure sitting on the bed with what seemed to be a book opened between their hands.

"Naruto?"

Naruto sighed from relief as he heard the familiar voice say his name, and he let himself give out.

* * *

_Naruto blinked himself awake, sitting up as he realized that he was, once again, in Kyuubi's cage._

"_Hey Kit."_

_Naruto turned and smiled a little when he saw Kyuubi, looking more like his usual self as his eyes had become a deeper shade of red, his claws longer, and fur prickling under his human skin._

"_You look better," Naruto said, and Kyuubi nodded._

"_Yea, the human chakra is filtering outta here through your seal. Listen Kit, I need to talk to you."_

"_Oh God what now?" Naruto said dramatically, throwing up his hands. "Am I dying or something?"_

"_No, you're just exhausted. I wanted to talk to you about the Uchiha and Sai."_

"_Great, just great," Naruto sighed, letting himself flop down on the ground._

"_I'm serious Kit," Kyuubi said, sitting cross-legged on the floor of his cage. "I'm getting some mixed signals here."_

"_Like what?"_

"_Didn't you notice that Sai didn't come to visit you once while you were in the hospital?"_

"_He probably had a mission or something," Naruto said. He had been trying to push that little detail to the back of his mind, but it stung nonetheless._

"_The Uchiha, who was supposed to be under guard, risked his own neck just to come and see you."_

"_Sasuke just likes to show off," Naruto scoffed._

"_And while you were in the confinement room he didn't come."_

"_The confinement room was closed off and sealed all around, there was no way to get through."_

"_For a ninja of Sai's skills with an hour or so of work he could have gotten through."_

"_Yea but who would work that hard just to come and see me when I'm not even conscious?"_

"_The Uchiha."_

"_Pfft, no he didn't!"_

"_Yes, yes he did Kit. You were knocked out. You can ask Gaara if you don't believe me. He came to see you while you were in heat because he was worried. And he had that chance then and there to have you all to himself if he wanted, but he didn't do anything. He gave you a kiss on the forehead and asked Gaara to help relieve your pain. He said that he knew you and Gaara were just friends, and even though I saw a hint of jealously in his eyes, he was much more concerned for your well being."_

_Naruto swallowed, trying to soothe his now dry throat._

"_And he just…left? He didn't do anything?" he asked quietly, any rage muted completely._

"_Nope," Kyuubi said simply. "And I think you forget the sealing, and how Sasuke used his Sharingan to ultimately save your life. Kit, he truly loves you."_

_Naruto closed his eyes tightly and shook his head, warding off any tears._

"_But Sai…"_

"_Naruto, sometimes hearts have to be broken if you're really intending to find the right person. And I'm sorry Kit, but Sasuke is the right one for you. He always has been."_

"_How long have you known?"_

"_Since you were born Kit. True soul mates will know when they find each other, because they won't let themselves forget about them. This is why you can't forget about Sasuke. Naruto, I know you love Sai, but I also know that your love for him is not even close to as deep as the love you feel for the Uchiha."_

"_Urusai! It is Kyuubi!" Naruto suddenly burst, standing up._

"_You're just avoiding it Kit," Kyuubi sighed, laying down on the floor and stretching his limbs. "I've spent over twenty years in your mind, and I know what you really feel."_

_Naruto shook his head rapidly in an attempt to throw away the thoughts Kyuubi was putting in his head._

"_I want out of here," he sighed tiredly._

"_Fine. But Kit, I don't think Sai is going to take your confinement with Gaara well."_

"_Of course he will. I was in pain, he'll understand that."_

"_Will he be more concerned with how much pain you were in and needed relief, or that his supposed mate was marked continuously by another?"_

_Naruto paused and looked down to the floor before his figure faded from Kyuubi's cage._

* * *

Naruto let out a soft whine as he opened his eyes, his pupils dilating from the new light.

"Naruto, are you alright?"

Naruto blinked rapidly and cleared his vision. Sai came into view, hovering over him on their bed as he examined the blond's face with worry.

"Yea," Naruto said weakly, smiling a little. "Just really tired."

"I bet," Sai said. He helped the blond sit up and rest against his chest for support.

"How long have I been out?"

"Most of the day actually. It's about nine pm."

Naruto rubbed his forehead. "Damn," he chuckled lightly. He opened his mouth to yawn when he suddenly found it occupied by another mouth.

He made a surprised gasp when Sai flipped them over and pinned the blond to the bed by his wrists, kissing him hard and fast.

"Sah-Sai," Naruto managed through their kiss as Sai parted their lips to get a better angle before reattaching himself quickly onto the pink lips that teased him.

Sai broke the kiss again a moment later, Naruto panting for breath as the raven kissed quickly down his neck.

"I missed you Naruto…" he breathed wantonly.

"W-where were you yesterday?" Naruto said, cringing as Sai bit down hard on where his neck and shoulder met.

"Here, why?" Sai said quickly, his fingers finding the hem of Naruto's shirt and making quick work of it.

"I was in the hospital yesterday; I got a lot of visitors, but…"

"I figured you would be too tired to talk anyways," Sai said briefly, capturing a nipple between his teeth and tweaking its neighbor with his fingers.

Naruto felt a spike of sadness rise in his chest. So what if he would be too tired to talk? He had let most of his visitors do all the talking, but they had still taken the time to come and see him.

"I-I need to tell you something," Naruto said, figuring sooner was later than never to tell him about himself and Gaara.

"Mmhmm," Sai hummed, giving Naruto's now erect nipple a parting lick before moving to the next and burying his fingers into the blond locks on the nape of Naruto's neck.

"You kn-know that Gaara was with me in the confinement room for the week…"

"Mmhmm," Sai hummed again.

"Well Tsunade forgot that I- ah…I went into heat last week."

"Well then at least you were contained instead of spending that time in Iruka's house," Sai reasoned, taking off his own shirt.

"Yea, but…this heat was the most painful of all of the others since my new seal was containing so much chakra. If I didn't get some kind of relief then I would have been absorbed with pain the whole week."

Sai nodded, kissing Naruto's collar bone and brushing his lips against the skin there.

"So Gaara…" Naruto took a deep breath and let it out slowly before continuing. "Gaara had sex with me."

Naruto winced and yelped softly as Sai abruptly bit down hard on his neck and gripped the hair on his neck tightly between his fingers.

"What?" he said sternly as he pulled back to look at Naruto, not releasing his grip on the blond's hair.

"I was in pain, Sai. So much, it was unbearable. Gaara is my best friend, and he was just trying to help me throu-"

"By having sex with you!?" Sai burst angrily. Naruto blinked, not used to seeing the enraged expression. It…startled him a little.

"That's how demons get relief from heat Sa-"

"By having sex with someone other than your lover!?"

"Sai you weren't there, Gaara was the only one in the room with me," Naruto tired to reason.

Sai shut his eyes and turned his head away.

"Would you rather I had gone through all of that pain?" Naruto asked the question burning a hole through his mind.

"If it meant that Gaara wouldn't be touching you, then yes!" Sai responded immediately. "I'm your lover Naruto! Your _lover!_ Doesn't that mean anything to you!?"

"Of course it does Sai!"

"Then act like it! You're mine, Naruto!"

Naruto gasped as Sai bit down harshly on his skin in the same place again, drawing blood that ran in rivulets down the dip his collar made and slid southward along his chest.

"Sai s-stop! That hurts!"

"Then maybe now you'll remember who you belong to Naruto," Sai breath against his neck.

"I don't 'belong' to anyone! You don't own me Sai!" Naruto said, struggling against his lover. But he already knew that his efforts were useless with the little energy he had.

"Right now you do," Sai growled, ripping off Naruto's pants and undergarments and quickly disposing of his own.

"Sai wait! Stop, you can-"

Naruto closed his eyes as tears pricked behind them and he couldn't help but let a disjointed cry escape from between his lips as Sai plunged in dry.

Naruto gripped the bed sheets, trying to find something, anything to help him from falling off the edge of his mind. The pain was blinding, searing, with every thrust he felt pierce deeper and deeper into him. He felt like he was being ripped in two, his soul disconnecting from his body under the immense pressure in the air that seemed to suffocate him.

"Sto….stop…Sai…" Naruto tried through his gasps. He reached up and tried to push against the raven's shoulders when his wrists were pinned together above him with one of Sai's hands while the other rested on his hip to keep him in place.

Naruto felt a warm liquid seep from within him, and knew immediately that he was bleeding.

Why did it hurt so much to love someone? To try and make them understand? Why after all this time, did he still feel like an object? Like a tool? Why did he still feel…

"S-stop! Please Sa-Sai!!"

…so empty?

"Naruto..."

So helpless?

"A-ah! N-no more!!!"

So alone?

"_Naruto!"_

Naruto screwed his eyes shut as Sai landed beside him, both of them panting and exhausted.

Naruto pulled together any strength he had left to turn himself over on the bed, biting his lip as he shifted to keep from screaming out in pain.

He buried his head into his pillow, away from the piercing gaze of his once lover.

He wouldn't let Sai see him broken.

Naruto pulled together any strength he had left to turn himself over on the bed, biting his lip as he shifted to keep from screaming out in pain.

He buried his head into his pillow, away from the piercing gaze of his once lover.

He wouldn't let Sai see him so broken.

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**Gawd I'm terrible. T.T The raep was short so I didn't think it needed it's own link.**

**Feed meh reviews omnomnom**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune**

**Translated by Gomi-kun**


	13. The Rifts that Split Us

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None!**

* * *

**Sky-eyed Kitsune and Gomi-kun blab & Updates**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: I really got my ass in gear on this fic XD This chapter is a little shorter but what I had written next would have seemed akward unless I had cut it off there.**

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**For those of you just joining the madness now, I have stopped replying to reviewers because I've got so many that it tends to take an hour to do so! X0 But please know that I treasure each review I get, and read them all. In fact when I read them they made me smile in the way that a writer does when they've realized that they have a reason to write! So sincerely, thank you all who take the time and read and review! I will though be answering questions if someone doesn't understand one part of the story or something along those lines. ^^**

**Reviewer Question Replies:**

**No Inquiries.**

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**Chapter Thirteen: The Rifts that Split Us**

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Naruto screwed his already shut eyes tighter as light danced across his eyelids.

He turned his position away from the intruding light, and regretted the action almost immediately when he felt a sharp spike of pain shoot up his backside and spread throughout his blood like a wildfire.

He bit on the edge of his pillow to stifle the whimper of pain that rose in his throat.

At least now he knew that the previous night wasn't a dream.

Naruto pushed his body up with his hands, and the light moved from playing on his face to his bare tan back as the curtains over the window shifted.

He looked beside him to see the other portion of the bed empty. Sai must've had a mission earlier that morning, and judging by the sun it was around eleven am.

Naruto hauled himself from the bed carefully, the cool air hitting him and making goosebumps erupt in a line along his skin.

He walked slowly to the shower, turning on the water as hot as it could get, before stepping in.

The heat was searing, blazing, and unbearable for a moment before he became used to it. His healthy tan turned pink from the immense heat as water cascaded down him in rivulets. He hoped to not only wash, but burn away any remnants of the previous night.

Thirty minutes later and he was out of the shower, dressed in his ANBU black shirt and pants. He shook out his hair some more, stray water droplets flying off in all different directions until he deemed it dry enough to be presentable.

With that he grabbed the house keys from the counter, locked the apartment, and made his way into the village.

* * *

"Sasuke. Saaasuke. Saaaaa-"

Kakashi stopped short as a kunai came whizzing out from under the lump of navy bed sheets before him, pinning his spiky white hair to the wall.

"Itaiiiii!" he whined childishly, tugging the kunai from the wall and releasing his hair. "That's what I get for the wake up call? I'm wounded, Sasuke!"

"Hn," Sasuke grunted. He sat up, and Kakashi had to disguise his laughing as coughing when he saw the catastrophe that was the Uchiha's usually perfectly pristine hair.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes dangerous and growled a little.

Kakashi calmed himself and shook his head.

"Sorry, had a late sentry duty last night and I might be catching something," he said. Sasuke rolled his eyes halfway.

"Why are you here?" he said, removing the covers from his body and swinging his legs over the side of his bed. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes with the heel of his right palm.

"Number one, I'm babysitting you today," Kakashi sighed, ticking off one finger on his hand. "Number two, it's already past eleven in the morning. Number three, everyone is setting up for Naruto-kun's inauguration as Hokage today, which will take place this evening."

Sasuke furrowed his brow.

"Today? He's being appointed as Hokage today? I thought Tsunade prescribed him rest for a week."

"Yes, but you don't need to go on missions to be Hokage," Kakashi pointed out. "Maa, c'mon, let's go help set up."

* * *

Naruto walked into the main plaza of the village, his hands in his pocket and his stride slow. He tried to make himself look as relaxed as possible, and not rigid with pain like he really felt.

Apparently it worked as villagers setting up the plaza for the Hokage ceremony smiled and waved at him. A few even stopped and talked with him about how proud they were to have him as their next Hokage. He did his best to fake all the smiles he gave and the happy words he said. They tasted stale and brittle in his mouth, and left a bitter flavor, but he continued with it nonetheless.

"Naruto."

Naruto turned and actually smiled genuinely a little as he saw Gaara walking toward him in his Hokage robes.

"How're you feeling?" the redhead asked, his usual emotionless demeanor a little more uplifted than usual upon seeing the blond.

"I'm fine," Naruto lied. Gaara paused and studied him with his critical jade eyes.

"No, you're not," he said. "You're anything but well."

"Damn, you really know me well," Naruto chuckled, scratching the back of his head sheepishly.

"I have a feeling this is no laughing matter. Now, what's bothering you?"

"It's nothing, really. Just some before ceremony jitters is all."

Gaara narrowed his eyes, before heaving a sigh.

"Fine then. You can come to me when you're ready or want to talk about it then."

He smiled a little, just for his best friend, before weaving back through the crowd to Neji.

"Ah, Naruto-kun. I wondered why you left me," Neji said to Gaara as he looked at Naruto.

"He's not well. Something is wrong, I know it," Gaara murmured so just the two of them could hear.

"Physically?"

"I'm not sure."

"Let me have a look." Neji made the appropriate had seal and wordlessly activated his biakugon. His eyes widened a little when he saw the Kyuubi's healing chakra levitate to his backside, and the nerves there strained and terribly wounded from pressure.

He released his biakugon, his cheerful mood gone and replaced with immense sorrow for the Hokage-to-be.

"_He must be in so much pain…how can he look so calm?"_

"Well?" Gaara asked.

Neji shook his head. "This is something that you should hear from Naruto-kun himself."

Naruto meanwhile, knew that Neji had used his biakugon on him, and that he was aware of Naruto's condition. But he trusted Neji to keep his secret until he was ready to tell it, if he would ever be.

Naruto lifted his gaze up to the altar being prepared, where he was to stand on stage and recite his vows as Hokage in just hours.

He lifted a hand to his forehead, his palm resting against it as his fingers rested in his hair.

He turned away from the scene, and almost fell backward as he bumped into someone.

"Gomen!" he said quickly, then went silent as he saw who it was.

* * *

Sasuke surveyed the area.

It was bustling like never before; not even the largest festival in Konoha's past could match the liveliness in the plaza, and the ceremony hadn't even started yet!

Kakashi stood three feet behind him, buried in his perverted orange book as usual.

The Uchiha continued forward, ignoring the unwelcome looks some villagers sent him. Since his return though, they had accepted him much more. He wasn't glorified for being the last Uchiha as he was when he was younger, but his presence was tolerated.

He sped up a little when he saw a flash of golden spiked locks, but then paused in his step as he saw Sai right in front of the blond.

* * *

Naruto looked anywhere but directly at Sai. He knew if he did then he would be tempted to yell at him, scorn him, fight him, and he couldn't do that. He didn't want to hurt Sai like that, even if he had hurt him.

"Naruto," Sai said placing a hand on Naruto's shoulder. The blond flinched at the contact.

"_Get off get off get off!"_ his mind repeated frantically, but he kept his cool exterior.

He felt something gently lift his chin, and his gaze was brought up slightly to meet Sai's.

"I'm sorry," he said. "Last night was…" He sighed uneasily. "I let my anger take over. I was jealous, I really was. I never want to see you in pain, but I just couldn't handle the fact that you had been touched by someone else."

Naruto didn't resist when Sai kissed him softly, but his body shook slightly with the painful remembrance of the night before.

The kiss broke quickly, and Sai cupped the blond's face.

"It's OK," Naruto said quietly. "I know you were jealous, that's why I was afraid of telling you, but I needed to."

Naruto's face grew stern and he pulled his face from Sai's hands.

"I am not a possession," he said firmly. "You don't own me, you and no one else ever will. You can't control my actions and treat me like some tool that you can use harshly and expect to be like new the next morning. I forgive you Sai, but I can't be with you anymore."

Naruto slipped the promise ring from his finger and handed it to Sai.

"I am also declining your proposal," he said. He looked at Sai's shocked and sorrowful face and shook his head sadly. "I loved you Sai, I really truly did, but obviously not enough to get through this."

Naruto pressed his lips against Sai's gently one last time before turning and walking ahead where Tsunade was arguing with Jiraiya by the altar.

Sai felt his eyes sting as he looked down at the silver ring resting peacefully in his palm, shining just as brightly as when he had slipped it on Naruto's finger.

A tear slipped down his cheek and splashed onto the ring, and it sparkled in the sunlight.

* * *

Sasuke blinked, unsure of what he had just seen.

Naruto giving Sai back a ring, leaving him with the most broken look on his face?

Had Naruto just…left him?

Kakashi's book was shut in one hand as he too stared at Sai, startled from the spectacle the two of them had just witnessed.

Sasuke moved his eyes to watch Naruto weave his way toward Tsuande and Jiraiya, wholly composed and unruffled from the scene.

"He's so ready to be Hokage," Sasuke said under his breath, shaking his head a little in disbelief. It was amazing how much Naruto had matured since he had left.

Kakashi nodded.

"Naruto-kun has been ready for four years to be Hokage, the year he turned eighteen. Tsunade knew it too, and offered him to be inaugurated right then and there, but he refused."

Sasuke gave Kakashi a confused glance.

"Naruto said that he wanted to train more," Kakashi explained. "He said that he didn't have enough knowledge to be Hokage, so for the next four years he went on S-class missions, studied ancient jutus, bloodlines, and methods of chakra control, and in his spare time sparred alone."

Sasuke knew that when he had talked to Naruto- no, not even then, it was just when he saw him- he knew that the blond was different. He wasn't just matured now, but wiser and more logical.

He was ready to take his place atop Konoha.

* * *

Evening came quickly and the plaza was bursting at the seams. Every villager and shinobi that could attend did attend, with the exception of some on mandatory sentry duty.

Tsunade stood at the altar on the stage above the plaza which was decorated with white lilies, bluebells, and sakura blossoms.

Off to the side of the stage sat Konoha's council, conversing quietly amongst themselves.

Tsunade stepped forward more and a hush fell over the enormous crowd.

"Over twenty two years ago, Yondaime Hirashi Uzumaki sealed away the Kyuubi inside of his only newborn son," she said, her voice resonating strongly throughout the air space.

"He hoped that his son would be glorified for ultimately saving our village from destruction, but he was anything but. Uzumaki Naruto suffered the worst childhood had to offer. No parents, no place to call home, no friends, and no support, even from the villagers around him. Instead he was spat upon, glared, and named a demon."

The villagers in the plaza seemed to bow their head in shame for their behavior.

"Naruto was told later about the demon inside of him when he was twelve. He thought himself to be a monster, and didn't want us to feel as if he would be a threat to the village, so he put on the 'village idiot' scheme. Naruto was and still is, in fact, one of the most intelligent individuals I have had the pleasure of meeting. He's come a long way from sitting on a swing alone near the academy to being cheered by the village as he climbed the ranks to where he is now. It is for these reasons and too many more to state in one day's time, that I am proud to relinquish my position as Hokage to Uzumaki Naruto."

Naruto walked out from behind the stage in a black shirt and pants, smiling gently, and the crowd erupted in cheers, whistles, and joyful cries.

Naruto embraced Tsunade, who hugged back tightly, trying to dam the tears welling behind her eyes.

Naruto kneeled down in front of the altar on both knees, his head held up high.

"Uzumaki Naruto, do you promise to uphold the village standards, be just and fair, and protect the citizens of Konoha like you would your own life?"

"I promise," Naruto said strongly, and Tsuande nodded. An elder sitting down stood up, carrying a scroll. He unwound it, laying it over the altar.

"Please sign your name below those of the previous Hokages with a prick of your finger," he requested kindly, his old and tired face wrinkling as he smiled.

Naruto smiled back and looked down at the scroll. His eyes scanned the names, and he stopped at his father's.

He reached out his hand and caressed the elegant red kanji written in his father blood. It felt almost alive, like a fire was burning within the words there.

Naruto took off the necklace Tsunade had given him when he was thirteen, and used it to cut a small rift in his thumb.

He dragged the open wound over the scroll, writing out his name in kanji. He replaced the necklace when he had finished, and the elder rolled the scroll back up and sat down once more.

"Uzumaki Naruto," Tsunade said, removing her Hokage robes. "You are now Rokudaime Uzumaki Naruto!" She held ot the robe and Naruto slipped his arms through the sleeves, tying the sash at the front.

"Konoha! I present to you your new Rokudaime!" Tsunade cried out happily, and the plaza exploded with clapping, whooping, whistles, and more noise that got lost in the midst of the cheering.

Naruto smiled softly as he looked down at the flames licking up the white of his Hokage robes.

"_I'll make you proud, Otosan."_

* * *

Naruto had insisted on no after party, and he didn't get one.

He got a raucous festival in his name instead.

Into the late hours of the night drinks were passed, jokes were told, and dancing was abundant.

Naruto was tugged back and forth between everyone that wanted to talk to him, until he was so dizzy from exhaustion that he couldn't tell where the earth met the sky anymore.

He was elated when the party was over and he could go back home…or elated as a deflated orange balloon could be.

He unlocked his apartment and stepped in, but didn't take off his shoes. He wasn't staying long.

He was relieved to find that Sai had not returned from the festival yet, and he could now pack his things in peace.

As Naruto folded his clothes into his suitcase, his hand hit something in one of the drawers.

He pulled it out, and paused in his packing.

He held a picture frame containing the photo from when team seven had just joined together.

Kakashi was leaning forward, no doubt grinning under his mask, both of his hands on Sasuke and Naruto's heads. Sakura was kneeling in the middle, her eyes closed as she smiled. Naruto himself was glaring (or more like pouting) across the picture at Sasuke, who was glaring somewhat more coolly right back. Naruto chuckled lightly.

He could almost see the lightning fizzling between their eyes.

He had thrown the picture into his bottom dresser drawer when he had turned eighteen and fallen out with his team.

Naruto traced a large crack that split across the frame, no doubt from when he had handled it so roughly.

He placed it on top of the dresser as he finished packing.

Fifteen minutes later and any traces of him ever having had been there were erased.

He scanned the bedroom with his eyes one last time before turning, suitcase in hand, when he suddenly paused.

He walked back over to the dresser and took the picture frame from its surface before shutting the door.

* * *

**Mmm yerp. Okay, guesses for where Naruto is going to go now to sleep? It's not what you think! XD**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune**

**Translated by Gomi-kun**


	14. Bottled Up

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None!**

* * *

**Sky-eyed Kitsune and Gomi-kun blab & Updates**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: Great guesses you guys! A lot of the guesses you made were options that I had considered, but I settled on a much different one, just to mix things up. ;p For those of you that said Naruto would sleep in his office, you're right!**

* * *

**For those of you just joining the madness now, I have stopped replying to reviewers because I've got so many that it tends to take an hour to do so! X0 But please know that I treasure each review I get, and read them all. In fact when I read them they made me smile in the way that a writer does when they've realized that they have a reason to write! So sincerely, thank you all who take the time and read and review! I will though be answering questions if someone doesn't understand one part of the story or something along those lines. ^^**

**Reviewer Question Replies:**

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* * *

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**Chapter Fourteen: Bottled Up**

--

Tsunade hummed as she took out the keys to her former office, having kept a spare since she knew Naruto wouldn't mind.

She swung open the door and breathed in deeply.

She felt the nostalgia of working at the desk near the window overlooking Konoha for hours on end, Shizune doing her best to deprive the blond of her sake requests but always giving in.

Tsunade was actually quite happy to see her things gone and a box of Naruto's sitting beside the desk, waiting to be arranged.

She walked up to the usually cluttered but now clean desk, and lifted herself to sit on top of it.

"Unf!"

Tsunade blinked and looked down at the desk that had grunted when she rested her weight on it. She heard and groan and stood up, walking over to the opposite side of the desk.

"Naruto?" she said, tilting her head downward to look underneath the desk and past the chair.

Naruto was curled under the desk, his Hokage robes over him like a blanket. He rubbed his head, apparently having been jolted by the noise above him and accidentally hitting his head against the side of the desk in response.

"What are you doing?" Tsunade said, grabbing him by the arm and pulling him out. She placed both of her hands under his arms and lifted him as easily as a bundle of wheat.

"What time is it?" Naruto yawned back, scratching the back of his head.

"Six in the morning," Tsunade answered, crossing her arms. "Now answer my question."

Naruto shifted his gaze to the floor and absentmindedly straightened his shirt.

"Ano, that's a little complicated," he murmured uncomfortably.

"Break it down then."

"Well basically Sai and I fell out, and even though we shared the apartment I'm letting him have it. So I had no where to stay and decided to sleep in my office."

Tsunade's eyes softened.

"I'm sorry to hear about you and Sai, but this is no way for a Hokage to live! Desks weren't meant for sleeping, Naruto."

"You slept on yours," Naruto deadpanned.

"Yes but that was during the day which is totally different. At least now I know what to give you as a congratulations gift: a new apartment!"

"Tsunade really, I don't want you to-"

"If you argue with me I'll snap your arm in two!" Tsunade hissed vehemently, and Naruto shut his open mouth.

* * *

It wasn't that Sasuke hated his genin team, no. It wasn't the fact that he had to get up before the sun every other morning to meet with them to train and take missions, oh no. But it _was_ the fact that he was chaperoning missions that he had hated enough as a genin and swore he would never do again.

Sasuke sat beneath a late blooming Sakura tree, his legs stretched out and crossed on the grass wet with early morning dew and his holding a book he was reading.

His eyes would flick up once and a while as his genin team painted a fence that encircled one of the civilian villager's homes on the far side of Konoha. Kakashi hadn't even bothered to show up and babysit Sasuke today. He knew by now that the Uchiha wouldn't run away.

The two genin twin girls Kimi and Konami giggled as they flicked some of the navy paint at each other, painting faces on each other's cheeks. The redhead that Sasuke had dubbed as the emo boy of the group, Yukuza, painted lethargically, his face nothing short of disgruntled.

A minute later he sighed exaggeratedly and turned away from the fence.

"I can't stand this!" he growled.

Sasuke lifted his gaze from his book.

"Oi, back to work," her ordered half-heartedly as he flipped a page in his novel.

"No way, this is stupid. I didn't become a ninja to paint fences," Yukuza hissed back at Sasuke.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes over his book.

"This is part of learning the value of hard work," he bit out. "And if you don't want to paint fences then what did you become a ninja for?"

"To serve Naruto-sama."

Sasuke blinked and rose an eyebrow.

"Now that Naruto is Rokudaime, I want to become a ninja more than ever. I want to be by Naruto-sama always."

Sasuke smirked.

"You talk like you have a crush on him," he said.

"He does!" Kimiko squealed from behind Yukuza.

"Sh-shut up!" Yukuza stuttered, a blush staining his pale cheeks as he gripped his paintbrush tighter.

"Oh really?" Sasuke teased, closing his book. This would be interesting. "Then you will have to try a lot harder Yukuza-kun. Naruto has many suitors that want to be with him."

"Like who?" Yukuza challenged.

"Just about every available female in Konoha including a good amount of men, and then there's me of course."

"What!?" the three genin shouted simultaneously.

Sasuke smirked and nodded. "I am also in the battle for Naruto's affections, even more so since he and Sai fell out."

"They did!?" Yukuza said, a smile appearing on his face for the first time that Sasuke had seen. "This is my chance!" Yukuza pumped his fist in the air.

Sasuke chuckled a little.

"You're too young for him Yukuza," he pointed out, and the redhead glared.

"No I'm not."

"You're thirteen. Naruto is twenty-two. That's a nine year difference."

"Yea well I'll be fourteen in three weeks," Yukuza growled.

"Oh yea, like another less year makes a difference," Sasuke smirked. "Why don't you ask out Kimiko instead maybe? Or one of the other girls _your age_."

"I only want Naruto-sama," Yukuza seethed. "And age won't matter!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Listen brat, you-" Sasuke stopped himself. This little crush for Naruto might work to his advantage. "You…may be right."

"..huh?" Yukuza said, expecting something completely different from Sasuke.

"Un," Sasuke said, nodding to himself. "I mean what's age to stand in the way of love?"

"Yea!" Yukuza agreed immediately, falling right into Sasuke's trap.

Sasuke smirked as he walked over to the less than half-painted fence.

"You know Yukuza, I've known Naruto since we were kids, and if there's one thing Naruto likes, it's a hard worker."

"Really?"

"Yep," Sasuke said, taking a spare paintbrush from the bucket by his feet. He started to paint the fence at a deliberately slow pace. "Looks like I'm working harder than you, so I'll have a much better chance with Naruto, won't I?"

The girls both giggled, aware of Sasuke's little trick that Yukuza was playing right into. Sasuke gave the girls a look and they understood that they had to be silent for the plan to work.

"No way!" Yukuza growled. He gripped his paintbrush, sloshed it into the bucket, and began to paint the fence rapidly. "I'll paint this whole damn fence, and Naruto-sama will know that I'm a harder worker than you!"

Sasuke smirked as the twins smiled.

* * *

Naruto admitted, there were some mundane tasks to being Hokage such as paper work, council meetings, and mission assignments. He had already checked two of those off his list, currently doing the third.

He sat at the mission's office table, going through the mission reports turned in. They ranged from D to S ranked missions, though the S-ranked ones were few and far between. He had however taken immense pleasure when some of the geinins burst out tirades and complained about getting D-ranked missions, reminding him much of himself.

Next to him at the table sat Tsunade, helping to sort the mission reports by rank and let the teams that came in know what was available.

Naruto lifted his head up when he heard the door open and a group of three genin walked in, their sensei in tow behind them.

Naruto swallowed and looked back down at his papers as he saw that Sasuke was the alleged sensei.

"_Just act like he isn't there,"_ he admonished himself quietly, before looking back up and smiling when the team paused in front of his table.

"Mission complete," Sasuke said, handing Naruto the file, who passed it to Tsunade beside him.

"Any problems?" Naruto asked, and the raven shook his head.

"N-Naruto-sama!"

Naruto moved his gaze to look at the redhead.

"Yes? Yukuza Soujin, correct?" he asked.

"How'd you know my name?" Yukuza asked in semi awe.

"Iruka tells me that you were a very inattentive student."

The twins beside the redhead giggled and Sasuke had to suppress his laughter.

"But he also told me you are intelligent, so you just need to work on listening," Naruto continued. "People have important things to say, and if you hope to climb to ranks of a ninja then listening to others and paying attention is very important."

"H-hai Naruto-sama!" Yukuza stuttered. "I worked really hard today!"

"I'm happy to hear that," Naruto said, his eyes closing as he smiled gently. Yukuza blushed from the sheer beauty of the Rokudaime's smile, and Sasuke couldn't help his own small smile from spreading across his face.

"You're dismissed," the blond said, then paused. "Oh Yukuza, could you come here for a moment?"

The group paused as Yukuza walked up to the table. Naruto motioned him forward more until he was directly in front of the Hokage.

Naruto sat up some and leaned over the table towards Yukuza.

"_Oh god, Naruto-sama is going to kiss me!"_ Yukuza thought excitedly, his heart beat loud in his ears and hammered uncontrollably against his ribcage. _"What should I do? What should I do!?"_

As Naruto came closer Yukuza closed his eyes and pouted his lips a little, ready for Naruto's kiss…which never came.

Yukuza felt something rub against his cheek and he opened one eye, followed closely by the other.

Naruto was rubbing his thumb against his cheek were a small blob of navy pain had been splattered.

Sasuke almost felt a little sorry for Yukuza as his face took on a crestfallen look.

Almost.

Naruto grinned and pulled back when he had cleared off the smudge.

"You had some paint on your cheek," he said. "Have a good day!"

Yukuza blinked, just standing there for a moment. He turned around mechanically and almost painfully walked out of the office, sparks practically flying from his ears as he seemed to short circuit. He didn't say a word as he passed a very smug looking Sasuke and the two twins trying to restrain their laughter and failing miserably.

* * *

Naruto didn't look up from his writing as he heard a knock on his office door. It was late in the afternoon, and Shizune had been coming in and out for him to sign document.

"Hai," he said, and the door swung open.

"Good afternoon Rokudaime-sama," Tsunade said teasingly as she shut the door and walked up to Naruto's desk. She settled herself into the cushy chair in front of the Hokage's desk.

"Haha," Naruto said, rolling his eyes.

"How's your first day on the job?" Tsunade asked, stretching out her arms and smiling when they made pleasing cracking sounds.

"Busy," Naruto sighed, finally putting down his pen and leaning back a little in his chair. There was a thin layer of silence in the room before Naruto broke it.

"What did you really come here for? Surely not just to gloat about all of the work I've had to do."

Tsunade heaved a sigh and leaned forward, her elbows resting on her knees.

"Why did you and Sai fall out?" she asked a little more quietly. "A fight? Did you two loose your spark?"

"It's not that simple," Naruto said, scratching the back of his head.

"I'd like to know."

Naruto looked at Tsunade for a moment before standing up and walking over to a brown cupboard on the wall. He opened it, grabbed to glasses and a bottle, and set them down on his desk.

"Must not be good if you're breaking out the sake," Tsunade chuckled lightly, flipping the cork off the bottle and pouring herself and Naruto a generous amount.

"Hold on," Naruto said. He walked over to the door of his office, paused, and then smacked his fist against the middle of it.

Groans and yelps emitted from the other side, and Tsunade couldn't help but laugh a little. The guards always did like to listen in on official "Hokage gossip".

Naruto made some quick hand seals before locking the door, creating an eavesdropping proof barrier around his office.

He sat back down behind his desk and took the glass Tsunade had poured for him, staring at his reflection rippling in the drink's surface.

"Sai didn't know that I was in heat when I was locked in the confinement room," he began quietly. "He also wasn't aware of just how much pain this particular heat caused me. I told him about how it would have meant torture for me if it had gone unaided."

Naruto suddenly tipped back his head and emptied the glass.

"Easy Naruto," Tsunade said as she refilled his glass.

Naruto took a deep breath to calm his raging insides before continuing.

"Sai never wants to see me hurting…but if it meant going through that immense pain or having sex with Gaara, he would rather have me suffer."

Tsunade's glass paused halfway to her lips.

"He said that?"

Naruto nodded, and Tsunade pressed her lips together.

"Sai just couldn't seem to get past the fact that I had been touched by Gaara, even when I tried to explain that he was just my best friend helping me out. The jealousy overrode everything and he turned really possessive."

"How possessive?" Tsunade asked skeptically. Naruto didn't answer. "Naruto," she pressed firmly, gripping her sake glass tightly.

Naruto paused before relenting.

"He told me that I belonged to him and then he raped me."

The glass in Tsunade's hand shattered under her immense force, and Naruto jumped a little from surprise as the shards went flying.

Tsunade was not upset. She was not angry.

She was _livid_.

"That fucker," she hissed, standing and ignoring the sake stain on her shirt dripping downwards. She made a fuming beeline for the door.

"Tsunade, please don't do anything," Naruto said calmly, taking a shallow sip from his glass. "It's over now, water under the bridge."

"How is that water under the bridge!?" Tsunade shouted, whipping around to face the other blond. "Naruto, he _raped_ you for God's sake!"

"There's nothing to do about it," Naruto said. "This is why I didn't want to tell you are anyone. I don't want Sai to be punished or threatened in any way."

"But-"

"That's an order," Naruto said more firmly now, narrowing his eyes.

Tsunade bit her tongue from speaking back. Naruto was the Rokudaime now, he was the one in control, and she no longer had power over that.

She flopped back down in her chair and sighed heavily, looking down forlornly at her poor traumatized sake glass.

"I'll get another," Naruto chuckled, standing up and returning to the cabinet.

"You're going to have to let this out sooner or later Naruto," Tsunade said quietly, and Naruto paused. "You can't keep your emotions bottled up forever under that idiot smile. It won't work anymore."

"Ninjas aren't supposed to be associated with emotions," Naruto said, returning to his task.

"That's a load of bullshit," Tsunade heaved, and Naruto laughed genuinely.

"I know, but I try to follow it anyways." He returned to his desk with a new glass. "But for now I can just drink it away."

Whoever introduced Naruto to sake in the first place was a complete moron. The blond couldn't take a shot without passing out on his 21st birthday, and now after four glasses of sake he was in la-la land.

"Baaaaa-chan," Naruto slurred, his head down face first on his desk. "Mah hed hurrrrt."

Tsunade rolled her eyes and stood up. She looked out the window and judged that it was half past seven in the evening.

"Yes Naruto, for the eighth time I already, I know," she said. She walked over to Naruto and hoisted him up from his chair so that one of his slack arms hung over her shoulder.

"Baa-chaaan, you gotta deflate those thingies before they 'splode," Naruto said, poking the side of her breast.

Tsunade felt her face go red and she restrained herself from slapping the blond into oblivion.

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that," she growled under her breath, before making a hand seal and disappearing in a puff of white smoke with the drunken Hokage.

* * *

Sasuke wasn't sure what he had enjoyed more, the look on Yukuza's face when he was crushed by Naruto, or that the same look had stayed there for the rest of the afternoon.

Sasuke chuckled to himself lightly as he stretched out on his couch.

His mind wondered back to Naruto, just as it had been doing every night, but now there was a difference.

Naruto was now available.

Sasuke felt his heart jump with excitement at the prospect of maybe being able to court Naruto, but then deflated as he remembered Naruto's ultimatum that he would give no second chances.

But he never said anything about starting over, did he?

Sasuke couldn't seem to make the little itching curiosity at the back of his mind to how Naruto and Sai exactly split up. He would make it his first mission on the way to winning Naruto's heart to find out.

But since Naruto was Rokudaime now, he would be ten times harder to approach. How was he to go about this?

Sasuke's train of thought was broken as his doorbell rang, and he rose from the comfy confines of his couch to answer it.

His eyebrows shot into his head as he opened his door only to see Tsunade standing outside of it supporting an obviously smashed Naruto.

"Uchiha, I need a favor."

…this could work.

* * *

**Sneaky Sasu X3 Poor Yukuza!**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune**

**Translated by Gomi-kun**


	15. The Truth

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None!**

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**Sky-eyed Kitsune: Well a new season of writing has started for me. I've been very lazy, yes, but prepare for a big influx of updates in the summer time! :spazzes:**

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**For those of you just joining the madness now, I have stopped replying to reviewers because I've got so many that it tends to take an hour to do so! X0 But please know that I treasure each review I get, and read them all. In fact when I read them they made me smile in the way that a writer does when they've realized that they have a reason to write! So sincerely, thank you all who take the time and read and review! I will though be answering questions if someone doesn't understand one part of the story or something along those lines. ^^**

**Reviewer Question Replies:**

**No Inquiries.**

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**Chapter Fifteen:**

--

"Favor?" Sasuke said as impassively as possible, belying his inner cheering.

Tsunade nodded.

"I haven't bought Naruto's new apartment yet, and since he broke up with Sai he needs a place to stay. Your mansion is more than capable of doing so. Please let him room with you until I can buy him a new apartment."

Sasuke nodded, and Tsunade carefully transferred Naruto over to him, flopping one of the blond's arms around the Uchiha's shoulder.

"Tsun…" Naruto murmured, trying to blink away the haze over his eyes from the alcohol in his system.

"It's ok Naruto, Sasuke is going to take care of you," Tsunade said, ruffling Naruto's hair gently.

Naruto didn't respond, his head dropping limp once more.

"You lay one finger on him and I'll rip your balls through your ass, Uchiha," Tsunade hissed, before disappearing in a cloud of white smoke.

Sasuke's eye twitched slightly.

He knew Tsunade wasn't bluffing.

Sasuke hoisted Naruto farther up, gripping his waist. Naruto groaned, and Sasuke just decided to heave the blond into his arms and carry him bridle style.

Sasuke shut the door with his foot as he carried Naruto. The blond was much heavier than he looked…

After trudging up the stairs and readjusting Naruto in his arms several times, Sasuke finally reached the guest bedroom.

He laid Naruto down gently on the dark navy covers, brushing a few stray golden locks from his face. He looked over the blond and decided to take at least his Hokage robes off. He wanted Naruto to be comfortable, but he also didn't want the blond to wake up in a frenzy and think that he had done anything to him in his inebriated state.

After lifting Naruto carefully and removing his robes, he leaned down and pressed his lips against the blond's forehead gently before walking to the door.

Naruto's eyes opened slightly, then halfway, misted over with the daze of alcohol.

"S'uke?"

Sasuke turned, and saw Naruto sitting up slightly, supported lazily by his arms.

"Go to sleep, Naruto," Sasuke said, and the blond shook his head.

"S'uke," he said again, this time stretching his arm and fanning out his fingers as if attempting to pull Sasuke over to him.

Sasuke walked forward, reaching out his own hand until his palm met Naruto's. The warmth of their combined skin rippled in composed waves through his body, and he interlaced their fingers.

Sasuke gasped slightly as he was suddenly tugged forward, and he crashed on top of Naruto, their lips clashing together.

Naruto blinked, his intoxicated brain working ten seconds too slow. His eyes finally widened after a moment, and he closed them and groaned.

Sasuke used his arms to push himself up, their mouths disconnecting with a smack. A string of glistening saliva still connected their lips as if trying to bring them together again, before swiftly breaking.

"S'uke," Naruto breathed, entwining his fingers in the hair on Sasuke's neck and pulling him down for another kiss.

It was a little sloppy at first due to Naruto's smashed state, but Sasuke quickly felt his supporting arms buckle as Naruto pleaded entrance to his mouth.

Should he? Naruto was obviously drunk, and Tsunade's threat still lingered ever so thickly.

Sasuke didn't have time to decide as Naruto pulled the Uchiha down more and forced his way into the hot cavern above.

Sasuke could taste the twang of sake, but also the almost undetectable hint of sweetness that could only be described as purely Naruto.

Naruto moaned lightly as Sasuke kissed back slowly at first, before they gained speed, their tongues dancing and entwining. Sasuke lured Naruto's tongue into his mouth, sucking on the appendage and rubbing the muscles together in delicious friction.

"Sasuke," Naruto gasped as they parted momentarily for air, before Sasuke dove back in for more of that taste, more of Naruto. He wanted to hear the blond say his name again so breathlessly, so pleadingly. He needed more of this beautiful man.

"Sasuke, I missed you," Naruto breathed as they parted again, and Sasuke paused. He finally saw the thin transparent lines running down Naruto's cheeks in the light of the setting sun spilling in through the window.

"I-I missed you…so much," Naruto said brokenly, more tears rolling down his cheeks.

In all the time Sasuke had known Naruto, he had never seen the blond cry, not once. Naruto always seemed too strong for that. And yet here he was, the Rokudaime, overcome with so much emotion…

…and over _him_.

"Sasuke!" Naruto cried, pulling Sasuke against him, the Uchiha's head resting in the corner of the blond's shoulder. Naruto's fingers nestled themselves in Sasuke's hair as he sobbed openly.

"I missed you…I missed you…I missed you…" Naruto chanted, his eyes shut tightly, gripping Sasuke as if he would slip through his grasp and into oblivion unless he clutched onto him.

Sasuke felt a pang of guilt hit him square in the chest. He knew that he had caused Naruto pain, but now he was aware of the extent of it.

Sasuke wrapped his arms around Naruto's shoulders, embracing him tightly.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I'm here now."

Naruto didn't answer, and Sasuke felt the warm wetness of tears sinking through the fabric of his shirt and to his skin.

Sasuke sighed as he pulled away from Naruto, releasing the blond's grip on him.

"You're drunk, Naruto," he said.

"I know," Naruto admitted.

"I don't want you to wake up tomorrow and be angry with me for kissing you."

Naruto shook his head.

"I'll probably remember this. I'm not that drunk…just kinda tipsy…"

Sasuke moved to leave, but was stopped when Naruto's hand shot out and gripped his arm.

…well the dobe's reflexes definitely weren't slowed by the alcohol.

"Stay…" Naruto asked quietly. "I…I promise not to be mad in the morning…"

Sasuke sighed and sat back down on the bed, his arm still in Naruto's tight grip.

"I will if you tell me something," Sasuke said, and after a pause, Naruto nodded slowly.

"Why did you and Sai separate?"

Naruto blinked, his hand slowly releasing Sasuke to drop into his own lap. The question caught him off guard, even in his smashed state.

"I won't tell anyone you don't want me to," Sasuke reassured, gently running his fingers through the soft blond spikes that he had longed to touch, to stroke, to feel, for countless days and nights.

Naruto licked his lips, looking downwards.

"Sai is very possessive," Naruto started slowly. "He…he didn't like me bein' touched by someone else, even if it was by my best friend. I guess he felt like any kind of "mark" he had made on me was gone. So he raped me."

Sasuke had to rewind what Naruto had said at the moment at least a thousand times over before his brain had processed it.

…raped? Naruto? Sai!?

Sasuke's eyes automatically bled into a deep maroon red, sharingan spinning wildly. His murderous gaze flicked to Naruto when he felt a hand press down none too lightly on his shoulder.

He didn't need to ask Naruto anything, since it was apparent by the expression on the blond's face that he had no intent of letting anyone harm Sai for what he had done.

"Aren't you upset? Angry at all?" Sasuke asked as he attempted to cool his nerves and failing miserably.

Naruto shrugged. "Shit happens," he said. "There's no point in livin' in the incident since there's nothing I can do about it now. It's already in the past. I don't need this affecting my role as hokage."

"You can't keep it all bottled up inside, Naruto," Sasuke said, his eyes fading back to a deep coal.

"O' course not. Why else d'ya think I'm drunk?" Naruto chuckled slightly, and Saske couldn't help but smirk a little. Not the best way to let out one's emotions, but while you're drinking it always seems like it is.

"You should get some sleep. I think the alcohol is wearing off, and you shouldn't get a hangover before sunrise or else you'll feel ten times worse."

Sasuke had kept his promise, and stayed with Naruto for the night. He carried in a futon from one of the closets, and made himself a place on the floor.

* * *

It wasn't till the dead of night that Sasuke felt some thing nudge against his side once, twice, before he was kicked swiftly.

"Shit!" Sasuke cursed as he held his throbbing side. He looked up, ready to slap a bitch, when his expression cooled as he saw who it was.

"Naruto, what's wrong?" he asked. Naruto scoffed.

"I thought Uchiha brats were supposed to have better vision than everyone else, but apparently not. Big surprise."

Sasuke took a double-take. No, this wasn't Naruto, The body was Naruto's but everything else wasn't. Blond spikes of hair were replaced by a flowing red mane, loose down to the waist. The grown-out bangs framed a pale milky face, jagged and very pronounced whisker scars on each cheek, almost like they had been torn there. From each fingertip a black claw sprouted, gleaming in the light shards the moon cast through the window. A pair of blood red eyes stared down at Sasuke with an air of superiority and blatant sarcasm.

"Who are you?" Sasuke snapped, eyes bleeding to sharingan for the second time that night.

"Oh geez. It's like the evolutionary clock ticks backwards with you, isn't it?" the redhead scoffed, rolling his eyes. He bent down until he was eye level with Sasuke. "I'll give you some hints. I'm 143,972 years old, I used to run the land free until I was sealed away, I was the most powerful demon in existence until a certain blond stepped in while I was having fun, and I live inside said blond's son. Ring a bell?"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Kyuubi?"

"Damn you're slow."

"You shouldn't even be here now. How did you get out?"

"I didn't. Why else do you think I look like a human? Naruto created a chakra barrier three years ago to keep me from over shadowing his body, even while he was sleeping. Seems that being drunk caused the barrier to weaken some. I'll be damned if I won't stretch my legs for the first time in three years. That and I wanted to talk to you."

"About?"

"About the kit."

Sasuke paused. "…kit?"

"Naruto!"

"……kit?"

"We've got a special like relationship, so shut the hell up. " Kyuubi plunked himself down on the ground cross-legged in front of Sasuke. "I'm sure you are still curious as to why Naruto gave you up."

Sasuke's interest sparked immediately, and he nodded at once.

"I think it's important that you know anyways," Kyuubi said. He took Sasuke's arm before the Uchiha could protest, and made a slit over the pale wrist.

"Hey!"

"Calm down pretty boy."

Kyuubi slit his own wrist with his claw, and pressed his own bleeding wound against Sasuke's. A red chakra seal imprinted on the top of their hands, before Sasuke's vision became whitewashed and he shut his eyes from the sheer brightness that engulfed him.

* * *

_Sasuke didn't open his eyes to his guest room. Instead he saw the Konoha training grounds where team seven passed the bell test with Kakashi when they were twelve._

"_Where are we?" Sasuke asked as Kyuubi appeared beside him, hands linked behind his back. He didn't answer as his eyes were trained on something else._

_Sasuke looked forward and saw Naruto, standing in front of the pole he had once been tied to. Only this Naruto was much younger than what Sasuke knew, no older than sixteen. Dried blood clung to his skin, and tears were apparent in his jacket and pants._

_He still wore his famous orange and black jacket ensemble, his hair shorter and more spiked. He gripped his headband loosely in one hand as he stared at the pillar wordlessly._

"_**Naruto-kun."**_

_Naruto turned as did Sasuke, to find a younger Sai walking up to the pillars. Sai didn't say a word as he stood beside Naruto in front of the poles, respecting the blond's silence._

"_**Is this right?"**__ Naruto finally broke the silence__**. "Trying to force Sasuke to come back…it's not right, is it?"**_

_Sai shrugged__**. "In the book I just picked up on relationships it said to never force another person into doing something they don't want to because it acts against their free will."**_

"_**Free will,"**__ Naruto chuckled, shaking his head slightly. __**"Seems like Sasuke's got a lot of that…but not me."**_

_Sai gave Naruto a questioning look._

"_**I don't have any freedom, Sai," **__Naruto sighed.__** "It seems like I'm one of the most free spirited ninja in Konoha, but it's all just a guise. Ever since I was a kid Tsunade gave me special missions that were below my skill so that the village didn't feel like I was getting too strong. I can't afford to be myself around anyone and have had to act as the village idiot because the villagers would fear that I'm too smart. I've had to live far on the outskirts of Konoha so no one feels threatened by my presence. I can't just go up and make friends with whoever I want without being cursed and spat on."**_

_Naruto looked away from the pillars to stare hard at Sai._

"_**And everyone expects me to chase Sasuke because of the stupid promise I made to Sakura to bring him back."**_

_Sasuke blinked._

_How did he not know all this? Why had Naruto not told him any of the restrictions he was under when they were younger? And how could Sasuke have fallenl for the village idiot mask so easily?_

_What was this…?_

"_**I didn't know,"**__ Sai stated simply. __**"If you want more freedom, why don't you just take it?"**_

_Naruto looked down and squeezed the Konoha headband in his grasp._

"_**That's what Sasuke did."**_

_The white light abruptly struck Sasuke again, and he shielded his eyes from its fury. He only opened them again when it faded into a new scene. This time Sasuke saw the forest right outside of Konoha, fresh with the premature blush of spring._

"_I know where we are," he said to Kyuubi, once more beside him. "We're in Naruto's memories, aren't we? And that was after our fight at Orochimaru's base."_

"_Pretty boy finally pieces it together," Kyuubi grumbled, before his attention focused to the trees where a rustling was coming from._

_Sasuke watched as Naruto climbed through a patch of bushes, arm clutching a wound on his opposite shoulder. He walked slow, bloody and battered, leaning against trees for support and struggling for breath._

"_That was our third battle," Sasuke said as he took in the appearance of the blond, and estimated him to be around eighteen. He was taller and more muscular, his spikes of hair starting to calm and dip down his neck. "And our last."_

"_**I can't keep doin' this Kyuubi,"**__ the young Naruto said to the air._

"_He talked to you?" Sasuke asked Kyuubi._

"_He always has," Kyuubi said. "I told you, we have a special relationship."_

_Naruto leaned his back up against one tree, slipping down it into a dilapidated sitting position, head lolling to one side as of he were to pass out at any moment._

"_It happened at the Akatsuki base," Sasuke said. "We fought so much that we ended up destroying it. We really almost killed each other that day. I thought I was going to die."_

"_**How is this right Kyuubi?"**__ Naruto asked as he closed his eyes in pain. __**"How is forcing Sasuke to come back home considered right? Even if I did bring him back, he would just try to leave again. What's the point of bringing back a person that doesn't even want to be here anymore?"**_

_There was a pause as Naruto no doubt listened to Kyuubi._

"_**My feelings don't matter Kyuu,"**__ he said. __**"I…why am I even bothering anymore? I want Sasuke to come back so much…but I want him to do so when he actually wants to be here, not because I forced him to. If I forced him to be here, I think the empty space I feel inside would still be there."**_

_Another pause._

"_**I know that I could take Sasuke back easily."**_

"_What?" Sasuke said to himself._

"_**But I…I just can't bring myself to use my full power like that. I don't want to hurt him, Kyuubi."**_

_Sasuke jerked his head to look at Kyuubi who watched the scene impassively with crossed arms._

"_He could…he could have!?" he suddenly shouted. "He could have fucking brought me back!?"_

"_A thousand times over brat," Kyuubi responded, not taking his eyes off Naruto._

"_Why!?"_

"_Are you deaf along with blind too Uchiha? He just said it. He didn't want to seriously hurt you."_

_Sasuke gripped his hair down to the roots in frustration._

_He knew Naruto better than that! He could tell when the blond was faking a fight! He could!_

_Sasuke didn't bother to shield his eyes as another flash came on, and he found himself back in his guest room.

* * *

_

"Don't know Naruto as well as ya thought, ne?" Kyuubi chuckled bitterly, and Sasuke blindly whirled his fist forward to punch the bastard demon smack in the face.

Sasuke hissed and couldn't hold in a growl of pain as Kyuubi caught his fist and the skin on his fingers and knuckles sizzled under a tremendous blazing heat.

"Didn't that snake teach you anything?" Kyuubi bit out. "First off, do not even **think** of touching a fire demon, even when overshadowing a host. Second, this isn't my body brat. You mash me in and Naruto will be the one waking up sore in the morning and rearing to slap a bitch."

Sasuke groaned under his breath as Kyuubi talked. The smell of burning flesh was nauseating, and knowing that it was his own made Sasuke feel even sicker as the aroma sifted into the air.

"Third, do ya think that maybe I have a _point_ in showing you all of this Uchiha?" Kyuubi released Sasuke's fist and the raven snatched it back quickly. He winced and bit his lip as he tried to flex his fingers and the burns there seemed to split open his skin further.

"How about I just break it down so you don't waste the precious energy you need for your brain to function?" Kyuubi sighed, aggravated. "To put it point blank, you _don't_ know what Naruto went through while you were gone, you _don't_know what kind of ninja he really is, and you_don't_ know him! And you never did! You know that village idiot act that Naruto put on for you and the rest of the village when he was a kid. The only time Naruto was ever himself around you was when you two were fighting each other."

Kyuubi's words seemed to peel off him and pool on the floor at Sasuke's feet, then suddenly sprung to life and rammed him one after the other in the chest until they were embedded so deeply that they couldn't have been scraped out with all of the will power in the world.

"How about for once stamping down your pride and admitting that you're wrong?" Kyuubi said as he crossed his arms, his expression set firm.

But Sasuke didn't need Kyuubi telling him he was wrong, because he already knew it from the moment the demon had opened its mouth. It was an incredible blow to Sasuke's ego and it made his stomach churn in bitterness, but he admitted it. He was wrong. Simple.

But if it was so simple how had he not seen it before?

"You should do what you should have done ten years ago, and genuinely get to know Naruto. Maybe then he can look at you in the light that you see him in now." Kyuubi said. Once he saw Sasuke's tight expression loosen, he knew that the raven had accepted the facts, no matter how grim a diagnosis for his ego.

Sasuke rose an elegant eyebrow. "I thought you hated me?"

"Hell if I don't, but that's just the way things go. I didn't decide Naruto's mate; I'm not that omnipotent!"

"Wait, what?"

"Why are you so stupid!?"

"I'm Naruto's mate?"

Kyuubi looked up at the ceiling and sighed exaggeratedly. "I'm gonna be here all day at this rate," he whined. "Yes Uchiha, you are Naruto's mate. End of story."

"Did you tell him?" Sasuke asked, narrowing his eyes.

"In…so many words," Kyuubi said, scratching his claws against each other. "But I also encouraged him to be with Sai."

"Why?"

Kyuubi glared at Sasuke. "Because you've already hurt him enough."

Sasuke paused.

Kyuubi sighed again. "Nonetheless, Naruto belongs with you. Call it demon intuition. But you don't deserve him, and at this rate you never will."

"What do you suggest?"

"Huh?" Kyuubi said. Sasuke's head was tilted down to the floor in submission.

"What should I do," he said. "I'll listen."

Kyuubi smirk. "Finally the Uchiha asks the wise demon what to do. For now give Naruto some space. I'll talk to you again later."

"How?"

"Don't worry, I'll find you," Kyuubi said, grinning and winking. His body suddenly went limp and his red mane vanished from him as Naruto's characteristics returned.

Sasuke stood and picked up Naruto gently, placing him back in the bed once more.

Sasuke flopped down on his futon and sighed, staring up at the ingrained dots on the ceiling.

"_You'll find me, eh?"_

* * *

**Hm now tell me, how many of you think Naruto will wake up and not know where the heck he is? XD**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune**

**Translated by Gomi-kun**


	16. Sunset

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None!**

* * *

**Sky-eyed Kitsune and Gomi-kun blab & Updates**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: This chapter is a little bit shorter, and you will realize why when you finish it. I hope the wait wasn't too long this time ;p Thank you all for your lovely reviews! you make me so happy! ^^ For those of you that said Naruto will have no idea of how he got to Sasuke's...:wink wink nudge nudge: XD  
**

* * *

**For those of you just joining the madness now, I have stopped replying to reviewers because I've got so many that it tends to take an hour to do so! X0 But please know that I treasure each review I get, and read them all. In fact when I read them they made me smile in the way that a writer does when they've realized that they have a reason to write! So sincerely, thank you all who take the time and read and review! I will though be answering questions if someone doesn't understand one part of the story or something along those lines. ^^**

**Reviewer Question Replies:**

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**-----**

**Chapter Fifteen: Sunset  
**

--

Gaara rubbed his bare back up against Neji as he buried his face further into the pillow beneath him. He shivered as Neji's finger's sidled up his hip, and his raccoon eyes popped open.

Gaara turned his head to look over at Neji, awake and resting his chin on his hand.

"How long have you been up?" Gaara asked, propping himself up with his elbows.

"About an hour. You really do sleep a lot now that Shukaku is gone," Neji said, smiling softly.

"Yes…" Gaara said, stretching out his arms.

"Do you miss him?"

"What?"

"Do you miss Shukaku?"

Gaara blinked at Neji as he deciphered what exactly he was saying.

"Ne--"

"I know that he was inside of you all your life and…" Neji rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "And I know that according to Naruto sometimes demons talk to the person they're sealed in. I don't know what your relationship with your demon was, but Naruto has told me that he looks to Kyuubi like an older brother."

Gaara looked down at the burgundy sheets covering his lower half.

"Naruto has done extensive research on biju's and their behavior. Many of his missions were extended so he could meet other biju. Many of them were too dangerous to approach. Their demons had taken them almost completely over. Their bodies were half human, and half the creature they held inside them. Others were too young to know about what was trapped in them. If it weren't for Naruto Shukaku would have taken me over too. Shukaku wasn't like Kyuubi. He always told me to sleep, to let him out so he could destroy everything. And when he told me to kill people…I listened. It wasn't until I met Naruto that I figured out I didn't have to listen to what my demon told me. Kyuubi was impressed with Naruto's restraint, and how he hadn't given in to Kyuubi's demands for years, and he began to respect him to the point where he and Naruto created a bond."

"Naruto always has a way of creating unbreakable bonds with people," Neji smiled, taking Gaara's hand in his own gently.

"Yes," Gaara said, smiling at Neji's hand cradling his own. His smile faded quickly. "Naruto deserves so much."

* * *

"_Naruto. Naaaaruuuutooo. Naruto!"_

Naruto shot up, hair flopping in every direction as he wiped dried drool off the side of his mouth.

"Whuzaa…" he mumbled. "Am I late? Mission? Shit…" Naruto stood, eyes half closed and wobbling slightly as he felt around on the floor for his shoes. He blinked his eyes open more, vision fuzzed over with sleep when his hands didn't feel anything. He always left his shoes next to his bed…

"Kuu-bee," he groaned. "Where I put 'em?" Naruto reached out again blindly and his fingers found his Hokage robe.

"_No where. This isn't your house Naruto," Kyuubi said, rolling his eyes._

"Huh?" Naruto rubbed his eyes with the heel of his palm until his vision cleared. "My…this isn't my house…" he murmured. He looked around the room until his eyes fell on the Uchiha symbol painted on the wall above the bed.

Naruto bit his lip and held his breath.

"_Now Naruto--"_

"HIYAAAAAAAAAA!!!

* * *

Sasuke didn't see the point of chasing after a cat that escaped every three days. Toro had a reason to hate her home with that gargantuan lady smothering her all the time. Sasuke would run away too.

And who would have known that Toro would struggle. Luckily Sasuke wasn't the one that got the shit scratched out of him.

"Uchiha-sensei," Yukuza hissed through his teeth as he carried Toro to the Hokage's office. His arms and legs were scratched up and down and bleeding, two cuts across his cheek.

"Ne?" Sasuke sighed.

"Aren't you supposed to protect your students?"

"You're a genin now. Protect yourself."

Yukuza flared and opened his mouth to retort when a scratch on his cheek split open and he gripped it in pain.

"Ooooow!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "I have a first aid kit at my house. Kimi, Konami, you girls take Toro to the Hokage's office, ok?"

"Yes sensei," the twins said simultaneously as they hurried off with the whining cat.

* * *

Yukuza glared up at Sasuke's mansion.

"This is your house."

"Hn," Sasuke said as he reached to unlock the front door, only to have it smashed into a thousand pieces as soon as he touched the knob.

Yukuza hopped backward and covered his head as wood splinters and glass went flying.

"Fucking--"

"SASUKE!"

The wind was knocked from Sasuke's lungs as Naruto leapt forth out of the rubble and kicked him in the gut, katana gripped tightly in one hand and Hokage robe billowing around him.

Yukuza's mouth fell open as Sasuke skid across the ground before he flipped his body and picked himself back up quickly.

"Naruto listen, you--"

"Kidnapped me!" Naruto shouted, sprinting at Sasuke.

"_Shit, he got my katana,"_ Sasuke thought as he dodged Naruto's punches and slices. He had to admit that Naruto was excellent with his katana.

Sasuke grit his teeth as he didn't dodge fast enough and the katana cut a line down his arm.

Sasuke backed up a little and gripped his arm as Naruto panted. He launched at Sasuke again, a blur of color.

Yukuza watched in awe as Sasuke doubled over, his head snapped to the side, and cuts appeared on him one after the other in rapid succession as if the wind were battling him.

Sasuke activated his sharingan, and it spun wildly as Naruto's beatings stopped. He craned his neck left and right, searching for the blond. He looked up as he heard rustling in the trees, and blocked Naruto's…palm?

Naruto flipped back onto his feet in front of Sasuke, fingers pressed together flat and palms open. The katana was long gone. The form looked almost identical to the Gentle Fist style of the Hyuugas.

Naruto moved again, and to Sasuke's distemper his eyes could barely keep up. Now instead of fighting the wind he was fighting a Hokage level ninja as swift as a fox--maybe swifter. Sasuke's blocks came either just in time or a second too late. Naruto's technique wasn't like the Hyuugas; it was basically a method of punching, but without intention of targeting critical points on the body to seriously damage. The hits were more blunt as he used the heel of his palm, but they stung when they hit, as if embers were burning under Sasuke's skin on contact.

Could Naruto be filtering Kyuubi's fire element through his skin instead of chakra?

Sasuke didn't have time to think on it as Naruto suddenly rushed and disappeared again, and all that Sasuke saw was the heel of the blond's palm before the lights went out.

* * *

Yukuza jumped a little as the heel of Naruto's palm connected directly with Sasuke's forehead, and a burst of fire surrounded Naruto's hand.

Sasuke went flying backward, skidding across the ground and hitting an old oak tree with a thud, causing the leaves to shake and a squirrel to fall from its place on its branch. It landed on top of Sasuke's searing forehead before leaping away, terrified.

Naruto panted, frantic as his hazy mind tried to decipher what was going on.

"Ow…" he said, pressing a palm to his throbbing forehead.

"That was awesome Naruto-sama!" Yukuza cried, running up to the blond. "It was like watching a samurai fight! I-I mean-- w-wow! You're so cool Naruto-sama!"

"Uh thanks," Naruto said, removing his hand from his forehead.

"_You know if you had just listened to me before spazzing I would have told you what was going on,"_ Kyuubi sighed.

"What _is_ going on!?" Naruto shouted back, scaring Yukuza a little.

"Well see Uchiha-sensei was taking me here 'cause this really mean cat named Toro…" Yukuza continued on, Naruto not listening to a word as Kyuubi flashed images of the night before in his head.

"…and then we came back here and you totally destroyed the door and…Naruto-sama?" Yukuza asked as he saw a far off look in Naruto's eyes, which had become suddenly misty.

The blond blinked a moment later and they returned to their normal sapphire hue.

"I…I did that?" Naruto asked softly.

"Yea, and it sure was awesome as hell!"

"Kyuu I…I kissed him?"

"Who did you kiss!? Some guy named Kyuu!?" Yukuza cried, heart bouncing.

"It's nothing Yukuza. Go home now," Naruto said quietly.

"…Naruto-sama?" Yukuza said, tugging Naruto's robe a little. Naruto didn't respond, and Yukuza sighed, making his way toward his home.

Naruto sighed and dropped to his knees.

"Why didn't you tell me this sooner!?"

"_I tried but you were too busy kicking your mate's ass."_

"I told you he's not my mate," Naruto snarled.

"_Denial. Typical."_

Naruto sighed exaggeratedly and let himself fall flat on the ground.

"_The worst part is you promised you would remember what happened and wouldn't be mad."_

Naruto ran a hand through his messy golden locks. He gripped a handful of grass in his other hand and blinked up at the sky. By the healthy blue hue he estimated it was late in the morning.

He turned his head to look at Sasuke unconscious against the tree.

* * *

"You knocked him unconscious!? After he took you in too!" Tsunade shouted at Naruto as he explained, Sasuke bridle style in his arms.

"I didn't remember!" Naruto shouted back. He sighed. "Listen, can you just take a look at him? Make sure he's ok?"

"Alright," Tsuande said, standing and taking Sasuke from Naruto. She left his office swiftly and Naruto shut the door behind her.

Naruto leaned his back up against the door.

"_I'm sorry."_

* * *

Tsunade returned not ten minutes later with a full report.

"He's fine," she said. "He has a small burn on his forehead so that's been bandaged up, and many minor cuts, but I easily healed them."

"I wasn't trying to hurt him, just knock him out," Naruto said, crossing his legs behind his desk.

"Well you succeeded," Tsunade deadpanned.

Naruto stood, grabbing a rubber band from his desk and tying back his hair into a short ponytail.

"Could you cover for me for a little while?" he asked, walking to the door.

Tsunade smiled. "Ok but I get to raid the sake while your gone!" She winked playfully and Naruto smiled a little.

"Deal. Just don't destroy my office." He closed the door quickly as Tsunade threw an empty flowerpot, and he heard it shatter on the other side.

"You're paying for that old hag!"

* * *

Naruto entered the small checkup room one floor above his office.

Sasuke lay as unconscious as ever on the stark white bed above the covers. Any scratches or bruises obtained were gone, though a bandage was wrapped around his forehead as Tsunade had described.

Naruto grazed his fingers lightly over the bandages. Sasuke seemed to be almost in a trance as he slept, unmoving with the exception of the rise and fall of his breath.

Naruto moved his fingers down across Sasuke's pale cheek, absorbing the warmth he felt under the raven's skin. He continued downward until his fingertips circled around Sasuke's partially parted lips.

"_I…want to…"_ Naruto leaned his head down a little, pausing as his hair fell over his shoulder and tickled Sasuke's face. He swallowed before leaning down more, one arm on the bed to steady himself. _"…feel him again…" _ Naruto brushed his lips against Sasuke's dry yet smooth ones, and he felt his blood shiver.

Naruto moved his free hand back up to Sasuke's face, holding a palm against his cheek as he leaned his forehead against the Uchiha's.

He stared at Sasuke's eyelids for a moment before closing his own.

"You're six years too late," he said softly, his warm breath billowing over Sasuke's cool face. Naruto felt tears well up behind his eyes, and he didn't bother to block them. One slipped from the corner of his left eye and pattered on Sasuke's face, running down his own cheek before disappearing beneath his neck.

"_Kit, are you alright?"_ Kyuubi asked gently.

Naruto remained quiet.

"_Naruto c'mon, say something."_

Naruto lifted his head from Sasuke's, lowering to his knees and placing his arms on the side of the bed, his head resting amidst them.

"I'm dying," he said, eyes hollow as if looking right through Sasuke like he wasn't even there.

Kyuubi's fur ruffled as he took in a sharp breath of air.

"And you weren't telling me anything."

"_There's nothing to do about it,"_ Kyuubi said.

"I know. I'm well aware of what's been happening inside me. It looks like the sealing technique failed. The human chakra inside of me was much too strong, and it overpowered yours, pushing practically all of it out of my system. Without any of your own chakra to pump into the new seal, it feeds off of mine. All of mine is barely enough to keep it going, but it's draining me from the inside out." Naruto shut his eyes tightly as more tears leaked, and he gripped the sheets beneath his hands. "I can feel it…"

"_Kit, if there was anything I could do you know I would,"_ Kyuubi said quietly. _"I knew this seal would be dangerous, and you know from research just how much chakra this seal requires to be consistent and keep me inside of you."_

"How long do you think I have?"

"_One week."_

Naruto smirked. "Figures. When I die you'll take over my body."

"_Yes."_

"I'm glad my body will get some use while I'm gone."

Kyuubi narrowed his eyes painfully to the dusty cement beneath his paws.

"_It shouldn't have to be like this."_

"Guess I get to see my dad sooner than I thought…" Naruto closed his eyes as he began to fade into sleep. He pushed out a sigh, his body shaking from lack of energy.

"Do me a favor," he mumbled.

"_Sure."_

"Tell Sasuke…" Naruto let out a deep breath and closed his eyes. "Tell him that I'll always be there to chase after him…even when I'm gone…" Naruto's breathing smoothed over as his mind delved into a fold of unconsciousness.

Kyuubi listened to Naruto's breathing from his cage, realizing just how much he loved that sound. How he would do anything to hear it all the nights and days to come until the end of time.

Kyuubi closed his eyes as he surfaced through the bars of his cage, and Naruto's outer appearance took on his features as he bubbled up from Naruto's subconscious. He didn't have any chakra to use, but he didn't need any to overshadow Naruto in his dilapidated state of being.

Kyuubi stood and pulled up a chair from against the wall, dragging it over to Sasuke's bedside. He sat down in it heavily, his sunset red eyes staring aimlessly through Sasuke.

He leaned his head down and held it with his clawed hands as his body shook and he sniffed. He let out the ghost of a sob, pulling his legs up to his chest and hiding his face in them as his shoulders shook with every released tear.

* * *

**You all probably hate me right now…**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune**

**Translated by Gomi-kun  
**


	17. Good Advice?

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None!**

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**Sky-eyed Kitsune and Gomi-kun blab & Updates**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: Only one more week left of classes and I'm free! :D By the way, I am searching for someone to roleplay (rp) with. I have rp'd many times before and am Rping with someone now, but would like to Rp with others as well ^.^ The person I Rp with preferably won't mind violence, angst, or yaoi. (I do NOT do lemon scenes in my Rps, no exceptions, but I will accept some good old shounen-ai action lol). I Rp with strictly OC's and fanfic characters from Naruto and Death Note. Shoot me a note if you are interested. I will not respond if you say you are interested in a comment. Enjoy the chapter!**

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**For those of you just joining the madness now, I have stopped replying to reviewers because I've got so many that it tends to take an hour to do so! X0 But please know that I treasure each review I get, and read them all. In fact when I read them they made me smile in the way that a writer does when they've realized that they have a reason to write! So sincerely, thank you all who take the time and read and review! I will though be answering questions if someone doesn't understand one part of the story or something along those lines. ^^**

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**Chapter Seventeen: Good Advice…?**

--

"_I'm dying."_

Sasuke scrunched his face.

"_How long do you think I have?'_

Sasuke's brushed his nose with his finger as something tickled it.

"_I'm glad my body will get some use while I'm gone."_

Sasuke opened his mouth a little, his face contorted in a small grimace, and he shot upward as he sneezed, sending pollen from the flowers and plants around him flying.

"Sasuke-kun!"

Sasuke looked over as he heard his name called, and saw Sakura running towards him with a huge smile on her face. Only…this Sakura was very young. She looked just like she had when she was thirteen.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura squealed as she halted to a stop in front of him. She smoothed out the bottom of her red dress a little before folding her hands behind her back, her grin never dropping. "Sasuke-kun, you're late for the team meeting! Where have you been?"

Sasuke blinked at Sakura dumbly before looking around. To his right was an over stretching field of plants and flowers, and to the left the field ran into a tangle of trees. Konoha's gates could be seen not too far ahead between them.

"Uh…here," he finally said.

"You're acting strange Sasuke-kun." Sakura tugged Sasuke's up by his arm. "C'mon! We can still beat Kakashi-sensei there."

Sakura ran ahead, and Sasuke stood stock still.

"_What…what year is it?"_ He looked down at his hands, much smaller than he had remembered. _"Is this a dream?"_

Sasuke shook he head as he ran for the gates, easily passing Sakura on the way.

"Sasuke-kun, wait for me!" she whined behind him, but he didn't bother to stop.

"_Naruto. Where is Naruto?"_

* * *

Sasuke arrived at the team's old meeting spot on the bridge a few minutes later. Sakura was no longer in sight behind him. He approached the bridge, and his feet paused in their step as he saw Naruto sitting on the railing of the it.

His eyes were closed, hands clasped in seal. Sasuke squinted his eyes, frowning a little as his sharingan didn't activate. He coiled his hand into a fist as he put more pressure on the chakra points behind his eyes, and finally the sharingan was brought forth.

Sasuke let out a breath of air as he relaxed himself. He had forgotten how hard it had been to summon his kekkei genkai when he was younger and just learning how to use it.

His eyes widened as he saw the immense aura of invisible chakra swirling around Naruto, his hands aglow with it.

Sasuke took a step forward, and the chakra broke around Naruto as his eyes shot open and he jumped off the railing.

Sasuke blinked rapidly and his sharingan dissipated, and he locked eyes with Naruto.

"What teme?" he said, glaring a little as he stuffed his hands into the pockets of his ugly orange jumpsuit.

"N-…nothing," Sasuke said.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sasuke rolled his eyes as he heard Sakura's footsteps approaching them rapidly. "Why didn't you wait for me?" She pouted a little.

Sasuke was saved from answering as Kakashi poofed onto the bridge.

"Yo."

"You're late!!!" Sakura and Naruto screamed together. Sasuke looked back at Naruto, the blond's mouth moving a mile a minute as he complained to Kakashi.

Was this the mask Kyuubi had been talking about? The village idiot act? Sasuke felt so stupid that he hadn't seen the difference, but he had never been able to see Naruto so calm and serious as he was when he was meditating on the railing.

"Today we're hunting down Toro, an escaped cat," Kakashi said.

"This is the third time…" Sasuke mumbled.

"Did you say something Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked in a sickeningly sweet voice.

Sasuke didn't bother to answer.

* * *

That cat…that stupid, stupid cat…where was it!? Even with his sharingan Sasuke was having a hard time.

He walked up one of the trees so he could get a good lay of the land, when he stopped as he heard a voice below.

Sasuke flipped upside down only to find Naruto sitting against a tree trunk, petting the missing cat.

Sasuke saw Naruto smile a little as the cat meowed happily.

"You're lucky that you get to run away all the time," he said. His eyes became downcast. "I wish I could." He chuckled as the cat meowed again and pawed his nose. He scratched its head and it purred appreciatively.

"Nobody around here understands. Even my best friend can't tell the difference between the real me and the fake one. Then again, I can't really say he's my friend if I'm always my fake self around him, can I?"

Sasuke dug his fingernails into the tree bark and let go of the branch.

He flipped himself around so he would land nicely, but he didn't land. He kept on falling. Naruto's image rushed above him as darkness swallowed him from underneath. He reached his hand up, trying to grasp Naruto's visage as he was sucked down, and he felt his body slam against something.

* * *

Sasuke opened his eyes and gasped, his chest rising and falling rapidly as his eyes quivered.

He rubbed the back of his hand against his eyelids before blinking them open again.

He looked around and realized that he was in some kind of medical care room. He scrunched his eyebrows, and hissed when he felt his forehead burn. He sat up and pressed a hand to it, and felt the bandages wrapped around his forehead.

"Quite a spill you took."

Sasuke whipped his head to the left to see Kyuubi sitting cross-legged on a chair beside his bed, grinning.

"What…where am I!?" Sasuke finally burst.

"You're a few doors down from Naruto's office. You _were_ in a set of memories," Kyuubi explained.

"Memories…who's?"

"Yours."

"Those weren't mine. I never saw Naruto act that way."

"See now, here's where I tampered with them a little. I fused Naruto's memories and yours together and basically let you run around inside them. I thought you might be skeptical about Naruto and his idiot mask when you were younger, so I had you experience a few moments of his true self hands on."

"Why did you stop me!?" Sasuke shouted, gripping the sheets fervently, his eyes stinging and jaw curled in a snarl.

"Pardon?"

"You stopped me from confronting him! I was jumping down to talk to him!"

"If you had done that then you would have messed up Naruto's memories. I cannot allow the past to be changed."

Sasuke panted a little for a moment before letting his body flop back down, his head hitting the pillow beneath him.

"All those lost years," he breathed, covering his eyes with his arm as he felt them become wet.

"Naruto likes to think of them as not 'lost years', but just 'lost'. He pretends that they don't exist, and has tried to erase his whole childhood from his memory. But then he always stops himself, and remembers that the past shaped him into what he is now. No matter how painful," Kyuubi said, his wine red eyes following a wayward tear slipping down from under Sasuke's arm.

"Uchiha, you don't have a lot of time."

Sasuke removed his arm, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. "Why not?"

"You just don't, alright!" Kyuubi said forcefully, his eyes shut tightly. He sighed and opened them a little. "Just…do what you think is right. But please, as a request from this old demon, please, do not hurt Naruto anymore."

Kyuubi's head fell forward against his chest as his features began to disappear, and in a matter of seconds were replaced with Naruto's original ones.

Sasuke sat himself up, and reached out for Naruto's hand lying limp on his knee. He grasped the blond's hand in his own pale one, lacing their fingers together gently.

"_Not a lot of time…what does that mean? Is Naruto leaving?"_

Sasuke dropped Naruto's hand as the blond released a deep sigh, and his eyelids fluttered open. He lifted his head to look at Sasuke. It took him about three seconds to register that he was awake and that Sasuke was too, straightening in his chair immediately.

"A-ah, Sasuke," he said, wobbling a little on his chair. He cleared his throat. "How…how are you feeling?"

"Fine. What happened?" Sasuke said.

"Oh…well I woke up at your house and thought you had kidnapped me and--"

"Oh, it's all coming back to me…" Sasuke chuckled, placing a hand on his forehead. "Did you give me this too?" he asked as he pointed to the bandages. Naruto nodded.

"I'm sorry," he sighed. "I got…a little worked up."

"A little?" Sasuke said, raising an eyebrow.

Naruto glared. "Teme," he growled, and his and Sasuke's eyes both widened simultaneously as Naruto's hand shot up to cover his mouth.

Silence pervaded the room as Naruto and Sasuke's eyes met and held a conversation. What they were talking about neither one knew, but they were both aware that it had to be important since they couldn't seem to look away.

Naruto was the one to break the silence.

"Sasuke. About last night…"

"You don't need to say anything," Sasuke said apathetically as he turned his head away.

"I…" Naruto shook his head. "No. I mean…I want to."

Sasuke looked back at Naruto, caught off by the statement. Naruto wanting to talk with him about the previous night was the last thing he would have expected.

"Kyuubi showed me what happened the night before and…" Naruto sighed and rested his head on his palm. "I meant what I said. Well except the part about remembering everything that had happened this morning and not being angry…" Naruto shifted his eyes and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

Sasuke stayed silent looking at Naruto, and the blond sighed and stood.

"Just wanted to let you kn--" Naruto was cut off as Sasuke grabbed his wrist and pulled him down sharply. He quickly placed a hand on the back of Naruto's head and mashed their mouths together.

Naruto winced as his teeth knocked against Sasuke's and his lips ached from the impact. Sasuke quickly righted their mouths, holding Naruto's chin with one hand as he delved into the blond's mouth.

Naruto knew he didn't have the strength to fight back in his current condition, but he did tug his wrist in Sasuke's grip to display his discomfort to the Uchiha.

Sasuke didn't register the subtle tug, swept up in the fact that Naruto wasn't pulling away. Sasuke pushed pass Naruto's lips easily, finding little resistance. He rubbed his tongue against Naruto's boldly, humming at the soft taste rippling off the saliva slicked muscle.

He buried the hand pressing the back of Naruto's neck in his golden locks, letting the silky tresses weave naturally between his fingers.

Sasuke scrunched his eyebrows when he tasted a saltiness wetness in his mouth, the top of his lips damp.

He opened his eyes slightly, and then immediately all the way.

Naruto's own eyes were half-lidded, sapphire irises sparkling under welling tears. Two more slipped from each of Naruto's eyes, and he closed them as Sasuke released the blond.

"Naruto?" Sasuke probed gently. He reached up a hand and cradled Naruto's cheek, a tear disappearing into his palm.

Naruto smacked away the comforting touch as if it had stung him. He stood up quickly, leaving the room briskly without letting Sasuke get in another word.

* * *

The two guards flanking the door to Naruto's office stood at attention as Naruto descended down the hallway.

"Hokage-sama?" one asked tentatively as the saw the blond's head down, blond bangs covering his facial expression from view.

"Please do not let visitors pass unless it is an extreme emergency," Naruto replied to the inquiry. He swept into his office, Hokage robes billowing as he closed and locked the door.

He turned and leaned his back up against it, sliding down into a broken sitting position. He pulled his legs up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them in an embrace and dipping his head down in the small chasm they made.

His shoulders shook as he released a thin, shuddering breath.

"Kyuubi," he breathed. "Where do Jinchurriki go when they die?"

Kyuubi was silent, and Naruto growled and lifted his head swiftly.

"Dammit Kyuubi, tell me!" he yelled, slamming his fist onto the ground with all he could muster. Had he his full strength he would have punched a whole through the floor, but not even a dent was left.

"_They go," _Kyuubi started, _"to a place where their souls are locked forever."_

Naruto swallowed, saliva gathering thickly along his throat. "What's it like?"

"_I don't know."_

Naruto bit his lip and, leaning forward, smashed his fists with all the remaining strength he could muster onto the floor. He grit he teeth as tears poured down his whiskered cheeks. Why was he crying so much? Was he really that weak…?

Naruto could deal with that fact that he was dying, and his soul would never be at rest. What he couldn't deal with was the fact that only person he felt pure, untarnished and unconditional love for, didn't even know the real him.

"I don't…I don't…I don't…" Naruto repeated as he tugged the strands of his hair. "I don't…"

"_You don't what Naruto?"_ Kyuubi asked.

"I don't want to love him!" Naruto shouted, digging his fingernails into the wooden planks beneath him. He breathed heavily, all energy already almost completely spent.

"You don't know, Kyuubi…what it's like to be so in love, and to have that love be returned, but to not be able to accept it because it's not love for the real you!!!"

Kyuubi's eyes grew sorrowful as Naruto's cries and soft sobs echoed in his cage.

"_He __**does**__ love you, kit."_

"Not me…no…" Naruto croaked, shaking his head before holding it in his hands as his body quivered from stress.

"_He does. You are soul mates, Naruto. Don't you wonder why you love him so much after all the terrible things he's done? How you could never be truly angry at him for the things he did? A soul mate's love is unconditional, like yours. You are connected always. And Sasuke really does want to get to know you. I've spoken to him. He would do anything to know the real you."_

Naruto's cries became softer as Kyuubi talked, and Naruto pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger as his head throbbed.

"…why?"

"_Because he loves you. Passionately. Unconditionally. Always."_

Naruto grabbed the doorknob behind him to help heave himself up. He wiped his tear streaks on the top of his wrist.

"It wouldn't make a difference now, even if all of that is true," Naruto murmured, resting his head against the back of the door.

"_How will you know if it's true unless you give him a chance?"_

* * *

Kakashi was an excellent tracker. He could find a mouse ten feet underground with a blindfold on and earplugs in.

Kakashi was an excellent ninja. With his sharingan, experience, speed, and strength, he was a force to be reckoned with.

Kakashi was an excellent lover. He brought Iruka presents, remembered important dates, took his little brunette out every so often, and did some this that and all those things to him.

Kakashi was not a good counselor. So when one Uchiha Sasuke stepped up to him and said the three most hateful words in human language Kakashi knew, he was afraid.

Very afraid.

"Can we talk?"

Kakashi didn't know why he said yes, or why he didn't run when the Uchiha was approaching and practically dripping with angst, and a forehead wound to boot.

So now Kakashi was across from one disgruntled raven in the forest just outside of Konoha's gates, each of them leaning against a tree.

They didn't speak, or make eye contact for that matter. The silence was uneasy, and it didn't help when a frog jumped out from nowhere and began to croak loudly beside Kakashi.

"……so…" Kakashi broke the mold awkwardly, shooing the frog away. "Nice weather, ne?"

Sasuke sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"You and Iruka," he started slowly in an almost painful manner. "You've been together for a while, right?"

"Yep. We got married about five years ago. Why?"

Sasuke grit his teeth and flicked his eyes to the ground as the lightest tint of scarlet brushed across his cheeks.

Kakashi cocked an eyebrow at the Uchiha, and then grinned widely under his mask.

"Oh ho ho! The great Uchiha Sasuke needs my advice? And on dating of all things! Oh boy, this is too-"

"Shut up," Sasuke hissed through his teeth. "If you don't help me I'll tell Iruka that you're gushing about your love life with him to Jiraiya for his porn novels."

Kakashi's grin dropped ten feet into the ground, and the tips of his silver hair turned stark white.

"…fine," he sighed, succumbing to the threat. An outraged Iruka equaled no sex for weeks. "So why exactly are you having trouble courting Naruto?"

"I…" Sasuke sighed in frustration. "I don't know how to, ok? Plus Naruto is still mad at me."

"Duh. I wouldn't be surprised if he never forgives you and spits on your footprints."

"Not helping."

"Truth hurts."

"Anyways, I apologized to Naruto but I don't know what he thinks of me. I don't even know if he harbors any feelings for me at all."

"Has he said anything good towards you?"

Sasuke furrowed his eyebrows in thought. "Yea…he said that he missed me."

"Really?"

"Yea…but he was drunk."

"That's very good," Kakashi said, smiling beneath his black mask. "Iruka tells me that Naruto is the most honest when he's drunk. So he must feel something for you if he's missed you."

"Yea, but I wish I knew what. What did you do to get Iruka?"

Kakashi sighed nostalgically and crossed his legs. "Well my situation was somewhat similar to yours: I was competing for Iruka, he and I weren't on good terms, and I was utterly hopeless when it came to flirting. Then again I was only up against two other guys, and you're facing every available young adult in Konoha. Also unlike you I didn't leave for several years and almost kill my cherished person. I started off with Iruka by being, now that I look at it, an overall perv. Sneaking up behind him and whispering that he had the most tight, fuckable ass I'd ever laid eyes on wasn't the best strategy to go by. I still have the scars to prove it…Anyways, I observed Iruka and what he did in his spare time, and made small conversation with him. But not longer than fifteen minutes of chatting. This way I gave him his space. Gradually I began to learn from our conversations what Iruka liked, so I gave him gifts and took him places. Soon Iruka and I were over the boundaries of friendship."

Kakashi looked at Sasuke expectantly, but the Uchiha was silent.

"If you want help with the sexual part I can give you some moves to--"

"NO," Sasuke said firmly. He sighed. "But I don't have all the time in the world to court Naruto."

Kakashi shrugged. "That's true, but you and Naruto spent years together as children. Surely you learned some things about him?"

Sasuke was silent once more.

Kakashi took out his Icha Icha book and stood from beneath the tree, stretching his arms. He flipped open to his marked page and walked away.

"Oh, Sasuke," he said behind his shoulder. "For the record, Naruto does like honesty."

* * *

**Hmm what is our Uchiha thinking? Just in case some of you didn't read the note up top, _READ THIS_: I am searching for someone to roleplay (rp) with. I have rp'd many times before and am Rping with someone now, but would like to Rp with others as well ^.^ The person I Rp with preferably won't mind violence, angst, or yaoi. (I do NOT do lemon scenes in my Rps, no exceptions, but I will accept some good old shounen-ai action lol). I Rp with strictly OC's and fanfic characters from Naruto and Death Note. Shoot me a note if you are interested. I will not respond if you say you are interested in a comment.**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune**


	18. Whatever it Takes

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None!**

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**Sky-eyed Kitsune and Gomi-kun blab & Updates**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: Ah, freedom from classes! Well I just returned from vacation with my parents and boyfriend and it was very lovely...except for when I crashed on the Alpine and ripped the top layer of skin off my hand...and got alcohol sprayed on it...and got posion ivy on my neck...and got some of it in the corner of my eye...otherwise it was very nice! ^^  
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_**!!!!!!!There is a poll on my profile concerning this fiction. Please if you would be so kind and take the time to answer.!!!!!!!**_

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**For those of you just joining the madness now, I have stopped replying to reviewers because I've got so many that it tends to take an hour to do so! X0 But please know that I treasure each review I get, and read them all. In fact when I read them they made me smile in the way that a writer does when they've realized that they have a reason to write! So sincerely, thank you all who take the time and read and review! I will though be answering questions if someone doesn't understand one part of the story or something along those lines. ^^**

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**Chapter Eighteen: Whatever it Takes**

--

Naruto didn't know how much more he could stand.

Since the crack of dawn he had been up and ready in his Hokage robes. Even Tsunade did a double take when she saw Naruto working furiously behind his desk.

But Naruto had a lot of work to do in the next week. He had to try and finish as much work as he could, sign important documents, and attend meetings with other countries.

Naruto had already felt tired when he had woken up that morning, his lack of chakra riding on his shoulders like a huge boulder. As the day had gone on though, his energy levels plummeted to point zero, and thus he turned to Tsunade's best friend in the whole wide world: saki.

He'd had about three shots so far, and the pleasant buzz he felt was the kick he needed to keeping going.

It had currently just hit 7:30, and Naruto sat hunched over in his chair, his head down flat on a pile of paperwork and hand loosely gripping a pen.

The door to the office knocked and Naruto mustered a grunt of recognition. It opened gently, and footsteps padded on the flat carpet of the room.

"Are you OK?"

Naruto grunted again.

There was a chuckle, and then, "Dobe."

Naruto's head shot up from his desk, a piece of paper sticking to his forehead and standing upright.

"Can I help you with something?" Naruto said tiredly, leaning his chin on his palm as his eyes blinked wearily.

"Sort of," Sasuke said, sitting down in the chair in front of the Rokudaime's desk.

"Hm?" Naruto said lethargically.

"Would you-" Sasuke ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. "Would you like to get something to eat with me?"

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Dobe, I--!" Sasuke stopped mid-sentence. Getting flustered was his way of protecting himself when he was embarrassed, but he knew that Naruto didn't want a raving Uchiha in his office. "I…" Sasuke started over. "I want to spend some time with you."

Naruto blinked, surprised. He knew about Sasuke's emotional defense when it came to embarrassment, and he was surprised to see the raven letting it fall down a little.

Naruto sighed and stood slowly. "Alright."

* * *

Naruto lifted his head from the table as a bowl of miso ramen was placed in front of him, and Sasuke received his order of pork ramen.

"Why are you so tired?" he asked.

"None of yo--" Naruto stopped himself. If Sasuke was willing enough to let his emotional wall crumble a little, then Naruto should be obliged to do the same.

"I've been working since sunrise," he sighed, breaking apart his chopsticks and muttering a lazy "itadakimasu".

"Why would you work so early? You're going to exhaust yourself you know."

"I've got a lot to do as Rokudaime," Naruto shrugged, swirling his ramen around rather than eating it.

"You've got the rest of your life to do everything dobe," Sasuke said as he ate.

"Yea…" Naruto's eyes lowered a little more.

Sasuke didn't miss Naruto's response and reaction. He knew that it must've had something to do with what Kyuubi said about Sasuke not having much time to court Naruto. He wanted to ask so badly what the demon had meant, but with the high possibility of the question resulting in one angry dobe and an oh so lonely teme, Sasuke withheld the inquiry.

Sasuke looked from Naruto's full ramen bowl and back to the blond again.

"Naruto, are you sick?" he asked.

"Huh?" Naruto said, not really paying attention. He flinched slightly when he felt two hands cup his face, and was met with two dark onyx eyes piercing into his own.

"H-hey!" Naruto said, cursing himself for stuttering.

Sasuke didn't reply, his brow furrowing as he touched his forehead to Naruto's.

"You have a fever," he said, pulling away but leaving lingering touches behind.

"It's nothing," Naruto said.

"If it's nothing then eat your ramen," Sasuke challenged.

Naruto looked down at his favorite bowl of noodles, which might have just as well been a zombie brain crawling with worms the way his stomach turned when he thought of eating even a little of it.

Damn Sasuke.

Sasuke smirked triumphantly. "You're sick Naruto. You're not eating, you're tired and you have a fever."

Damn him to hell.

"It'll pass," Naruto sighed. "I'm alright!"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, and in a flash grabbed Naruto by the arm, slapped money on the table, and whisked him out of the ramen stand.

"What're you doing?" Naruto asked incredulously.

"Taking you home," he said. "You need to get rest. You're overworking yourself and I'm…"

Naruto blinked at Sasuke as his voice faded off. But he didn't need to finish his sentence since his face was an open book.

He was worried.

Naruto opened his mouth, but no reply came out. He felt something warm spread through his insides, something that he hadn't felt in what felt like centuries. He settled into it, his body relaxing in Sasuke's firm but gentle grip, and the makings of a small, almost invisible smile, morphed his lips.

* * *

Naruto sighed as Sasuke led him inside the Uchiha manor.

"Tsunade is buying you your apartment this evening," Sasuke said, closing the door behind Naruto. "You can move in tomorrow."

"Un," Naruto said. Sasuke led him into the den.

"Sit," the raven said, motioning to the cushy royal blue couch.

"Nah, I'm good standing."

Sasuke's eyebrow twitched slightly. "Dobe, if you don't rest you won't get better," He walked over to Naruto and pushed him in the direction of the couch.

"I told you I'm--" Sasuke pushed Naruto's shoulders down with force, and the blond plopped onto the couch.

"…fine," Naruto finished lamely.

Sasuke surveyed him with concerned eyes. He shouldn't have been able to push Naruto down so easily; even if the blond hadn't been trying to resist, his core strength would have held him up on its own.

"…what's going on?" Sasuke demanded firmly, staring Naruto down.

"Noth--" Naruto leaned back as Sasuke pushed him down, straddling his sides as he pinned his wrists down.

"Let go teme!" Naruto growled, struggling to push or shake Sasuke off, which would have normally been like the flick of a finger. Naruto went still as he gave up, panting from the exertion of the littler energy he had.

"Don't even try to tell me it's fucking nothing when you get exhausted just trying to push me off," Sasuke hissed, clamping his hands more tightly around Naruto's wrists. "Now tell me what the hell is happening to you!"

Naruto shook his head slowly. "I'm very tired and weak from the sealing procedure," Naruto lied expertly. "Getting used to the new seal is making me tired. Happy?"

Sasuke eyed Naruto suspiciously, but then gradually released the his hold on the blond. Of course Naruto was going to be exhausted. Not only had he just gone through an extremely risky and painful procedure, but he also had to keep up his role of hokage. And doing so while fighting fatigue would knock out just about any ninja.

Sasuke moved backward, releasing his legs from Naruto's sides and sitting on the end of the couch. Naruto didn't budge, eyes closed as he breathed in deeply through his nose, blond bangs falling over his tan eyelids.

"…I'm sorry…" Sasuke said. "…for pinning you down and everything."

Naruto sat up slowly, and on his hands and knees crawled over to Sasuke's side.

Sasuke looked up and almost jumped a little when he saw Naruto's face three inches from his own.

"Wha--" Sasuke was cut off by a pair of lips gently pressing against his own, and his eyes widened a fraction as Naruto pulled away with a soft smack.

"Goodnight," the blond said, standing and walking down the hallway, and up the stairwell to his designated room in the Uchiha manor.

Sasuke merely blinked after him. He touched two fingers to his lips, and a gradual, small smile stretched across his lips.

He must have done something right.

* * *

Sasuke woke the next morning to find Naruto already gone, no doubt at his office being a workaholic. But Sasuke wasn't deterred; he was following Kakashi's advice and giving the blond his space. He would visit him in the next few days and talk, finally get to know the real him, and then perhaps schedule a much grander date with him.

Perhaps…

* * *

_Four days later…_

"What?"

Sasuke sighed impatiently as he stood at Sai's door.

"Where is Naruto's favorite restaurant?" he repeated sternly.

"Why Uchiha? Trying to win him over?" Sai said bitterly, crossing his arms and leaning against the doorframe.

"No, I'm trying to make amends. He isn't something to be won," Sasuke hissed back. "Now are you gonna tell me or not?"

"And why on earth should I do that?"

"How about to make up for _raping_ him?"

Sai paused and stared hard at Sasuke.

"He doesn't like restaurants." Without another word the brunet slammed the door.

* * *

"What?"

"I said that Sasuke is behind you," Chouji said, and Ino turned, almost vomiting up laughter as she saw Sasuke sprinting towards them, hair a flying porcupine.

"Hey," he panted as he stopped in front of them, and Ino couldn't suppress her giggles.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at her and Chouji turned him to look at the shop window next to them, reflecting the raven's hair.

"Whatever," Sasuke scoffed. "Ino, I need to know what Naruto's favorite flowers are."

"Flowers?" Ino waggled her eyebrows and cooed. "Is someone going on a date?"

"Flowers!"

"All right all right, keep your thong on," Ino said, and Chouji chuckled at his wife's antics. "Naruto doesn't have a favorite flower, but he loves trees."

* * *

"What!?" Tsunade yelled as Sasuke practically tackled her before she entered the women's restroom in Hokage tower.

"What's Naruto's favorite drink?" Sasuke said, firing off his question immediately.

"Eh? Is someone making a move?" she said, the blush of alcohol already adorning her cheeks. "Ne…" She tipped her head up a little in thought. "Naruto isn't a big drinker unless he's upset, and he really can't hold his alcohol, so don't give him sake. Other than that everything else is pretty safe. But I've seen him drinking Jinxing tea a lot in the late afternoon, so you might want to try…" Tsunade faded off as Sasuke disappeared from her presence in a poof of smoke without a word.

* * *

Shino stood erect, dropping a tray of drinks and snacks as he heard a screech from his back porch. He rushed out in time to see a certain Uchiha standing there in front of his very pregnant and gasping wife.

"S-Sasuke-san! You scared me!" she panted, one hand over her heart and the other over her swelling belly.

"Are you alright?" Shino asked, at Hinata's side in an instant and holding her hand.

"I'm fine," she said, blushing a little. She adjusted in her seat.

"You shouldn't be popping up on a near due woman Uchiha-san," Shino said, placing his hands in his pockets. "You could very well send her into labor."

"Sorry, I just wanted to ask something," Sasuke said quickly, a little out of breath due to all of his stops.

"Sit down Sasuke-kun," Hinata said, smiling and gesturing to the chair across from her. "You seemed a little winded."

Sasuke nodded gratefully and took to the chair, sighing as he sat down.

"Hinata-san…" he started off slowly, not knowing how to phrase his question. "You've been Naruto's friend for a long time, right?"

"Oh yes, since we were genins," Hinata said happily. "Naruto never hid his real self from me."

"Really?" Sasuke asked, surprised, and Hinata nodded. "Then would you mind telling me--that is--"

"Spit it out," Shino finally said.

"Do you know what…what kind of things Naruto finds…romantic?" Sasuke finally squeezed out of his throat.

"Oh my!" Hinata said happily. "How wonderful for you to be with Naruto, Sasuke-san!"

"Not yet," Sasuke corrected.

"Oh, well I'm happy you are still beside him. In all honesty Naruto never talked much about romance."

"What about his crush on Sakura?" Sasuke asked, raising an eyebrow.

"He never really liked her," Hinata explained. "He liked her a little at first, but then only pretended to later because everyone would expect him to have a crush on her."

"I see," Sasuke said quietly.

"Although, recently Naruto said something to me. Two weeks ago we were taking a walk through the forest outside of Konoha, when Naruto suddenly stopped. He told me that he was remembering the mission to the land of waves all those years ago. He said that when he had first met Haku, the boy had asked him if he had a precious person. At the time Naruto couldn't say anything because he didn't know what it felt like to have someone precious."

Sasuke stared hard at Hinata as she talked, drinking in every word she said.

"I asked Naruto if he had a precious person now, and he said, 'Yes…yes I do. And he is the most precious thing in the word to me.' I'm almost certain that he was talking about you Sasuke-san. I think that all Naruto ever really wanted was to be by your side. That would be romance enough for him."

Sasuke didn't know what to say. He felt elated knowing that he was so precious to Naruto, but at the same time he was disheartened by the fact that the blond still pushed him away. In the past three days he had held conversations with Naruto that seemed to stretch longer and longer with every visit. The blond was letting down his walls inch by inch, finally letting Sasuke get to know the real him. It was better than Sasuke could have dreamed.

Naruto was extremely intelligent, far more than he could have ever perceived, but not the least bit conceited or boring. He liked to be goofy every now and then as Sasuke noticed, but not while he was working. They had comfortably resumed their old nicknames of "teme" and "dobe" without any awkwardness, and Sasuke felt his Uchiha pride practically melt when he made Naruto genuinely smile. And yet despite all of this Naruto wasn't letting him cross beyond the borders of friendship.

"Why…" Sasuke started, looking down at the floor. "…why does Naruto push me away?"

"He is afraid, Sasuke-san," Hinata said bluntly. "He doesn't want to be hurt so badly again. To give himself to you and then to have you leave…he wouldn't be able to bear it."

"I'm not leaving," Sasuke said firmly, a fresh fire rising in his veins. "I'm here for Naruto, and this time it's permanent."

* * *

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**Sky-eyed Kitsune  
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	19. Special Day

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None!**

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**Sky-eyed Kitsune and Gomi-kun blab & Updates**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: Oh my, many of you are going to be angry with me… ::hides under chair::  
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**For those of you just joining the madness now, I have stopped replying to reviewers because I've got so many that it tends to take an hour to do so! X0 But please know that I treasure each review I get, and read them all. In fact when I read them they made me smile in the way that a writer does when they've realized that they have a reason to write! So sincerely, thank you all who take the time and read and review! I will though be answering questions if someone doesn't understand one part of the story or something along those lines. ^^**

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* * *

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**Chapter Nineteen: Special Day**

--

Naruto ran a hand over his face, ascending up to pull strands of blond locks through his fingers. He sat at his desk, pen never stopping in its conversation with its dear friend paper.

Naruto hadn't slept. He had done as much work as he possibly could all the way through the night, and now as Naruto tipped his head up painfully slow to the clock on the wall, a faint blush of pink weaved into the sky outside.

Kyuubi couldn't even watch Naruto suffer anymore; it was worse than he could have imagined.

His cage was becoming extremely rusted and brittle as the seal sucked liquid life from its host. The water around Kyuubi's domain was becoming murky to the point of appearing as thick mud. Kyuubi couldn't even reach Naruto anymore, the blond too weak and without chakra to even form a mental connection with the demon.

Though chaos reigned on the inside, Naruto's outside didn't take as much of a hit. The major differences were Naruto's skin becoming paler, his dissipated appetite, and his tired eyes. Otherwise everything was in order, and Kyuubi was surprised the blond didn't look like a zombie at this point. Then again when he thought of it, the seal destroyed from the inside and not the outside.

Kyuubi knew that all was left was to watch Naruto buckle.

Kyuubi jolted a little as Naruto's body limped forward, his head slamming on the table as he took in slow and deep breaths.

Finally, he was sleeping.

* * *

Naruto grimaced as light zeroed in on his eyelids, and as much as he wanted to bury his head in his arms and just get on with sleeping, he still had things to do. The time between now and sunrise was the only window of time that he had left to take care of everything.

Naruto stood, and suddenly looked over to his door as he heard a scratching sound. He furrowed his eyebrows as he walked over to open it, and a fuzz ball came zipping through. He blinked at it, before it skid to a stop and faced him, meowing.

"Toro!" Naruto said happily, leaning down to pet the old cat. "It's been a while, huh?" The cat purred in response and arched its back to Naruto's touch. It looked up at him, blinking fondly, and that's when Naruto noticed the tiny scroll attached to the feline's collar.

Naruto untied it, and Toro let out a loud meow.

"I don't have any treats," Naruto said apologetically. "Besides, don't you think you're fat enough already?"

Naruto rolled his eyes as the cat whipped around, showing its backside to Naruto, before scampering off in a huff.

Naruto shook his head and opened the scroll. He just stared at it for a moment, puzzled, before his brain actually devoured the words hanging there on the little piece of parchment.

_Midnight_

_Konoha Forest._

Naruto pocketed the message just before Tsunade burst through the office door, already buzzed.

* * *

Naruto wasn't sure of exactly what to expect from such an inconspicuous note, and now, walking through Konoha's gates, he had run out of possible suspicions.

He looked down, watching his feet rise and fall to embrace the ground again and again, and realized just how much he would miss feeling the earth beneath him. Naruto looked up between the string of trees around him, the stars crowding each other as they filtered light through the openings in the leaves.

Naruto looked around. It was almost eight, and he was in Konoha forest. Was the note just a practical joke?

Naruto blinked several times and stumbled back a little when a bright light buzzed into his face. He just barely caught himself, taking in a breath of air before he saw that his attacked was none other than a firefly.

"Watch where you're flying," Naruto commented, brushing himself off. The firefly hovered in front of him, before weaving ahead between the trees, pausing when Naruto did not follow. Naruto scrunched his eyebrows in a confused manner, but nonetheless followed the tiny hovering spark.

The bug took off at a fast pace, and Naruto ran after so as not to loose it. He ducked under branches and leaves, his sapphire orbs locked onto the fleck of light speeding ahead.

Naruto smirked a little before pivoting off a tree, and clapping the firefly between his cupped hands as he tumbled onto the ground.

He smiled triumphantly at his glowing hands that held the little bug captive, before looking up when another light swam in front of his eyes.

Naruto let his hands go limp, the firefly squeezing its way out of his slack hands to join the hundreds of its kin floating about the air like tiny lanterns.

Naruto stood, drinking in the beauty as the fireflies lit up the trees with tiny stars of their own among the leaves, twinkling in the dim light of the crescent moon above. He closed his eyes, listening as the wind whispered sweet nothings through the air and the crickets sang their lonely lullabies to the flowers.

"I though you would like it."

Naruto jumped at the voice, turning around to find Sasuke smiling at him. Not smirking, but _smiling_. His eyes were their same pitch black against the sublime light of the fireflies, but Naruto saw the kindness and warmth that buffed them over like an old stone, and turned them soft.

"It took me hours to catch that cat," Sasuke said, and Naruto noticed the numerous scratches up the Uchiha's arms, no doubt an indication of the struggle he went through. It was amazing that his face had been spared.

"How did you know…about Toro?" Naruto asked.

"A grumpy old fox told me," Sasuke said, and Naruto smiled a little. Sasuke felt a shiver of warmth rush through his body at the sight. He was getting Naruto to smile more frequently now, and they were all just for his eyes an nobody else's.

"Want some tea?" Sasuke asked, walking over to a container and bag he had placed under a tree. "It's Jinsing, and it's still hot."

"Thanks," Naruto said as Sasuke fished a cup from the bag and poured him some.

Naruto hummed as he drank from the cup.

"Is it ok?" Sasuke asked, a little hesitant.

"It's perfect," Naruto said, grinning. "Stop acting so weird teme. What's this all about?"

Sasuke took Naruto's wrist in his hand and tugged him forward. Naruto followed, and as they walked Sasuke gently slipped his hand into the blond's.

Naruto felt his cheeks heat at Sasuke's touch, but smiled shyly as he intertwined his finger's with Sasuke's.

Sasuke was startled a little as his fingers were caressed and taken captive, but let the warmth of Naruto's hand flow through his and into his body's. Sasuke knew this was a sign. It was Naruto making the move now, almost like he was saying that it was alright now.

Sasuke stopped as they reached the precipice of a cliff, and Naruto felt himself melt as a forest opened up below them, a waterfall parting between the cherry trees and spilling down the cliff rocks into a deep basin that further on trickled down into a river.

The fireflies clung to the trees as they glowed, their reflections dotting the water with golden light

"Amazing," Naruto breathed, looking over at Sasuke, and laughed when a firefly landed on the raven's nose.

Sasuke wiggled his nose, not wanting to swat the bug, and blew air from his nose. It held on fast. He shook his head, but still nothing. Sasuke wiggled his nose again, and then stopped when the inside of It prickled, and he let out a huge sneeze.

Naruto was having a laughing fit, holding his sides as Sasuke glared at the bug still holding on and glowing happily.

"He-here," Naruto said between bouts of calming laughter. "Le-let me."

Naruto cupped his hands over the firefly, and drew it away, his palms now glowing with the light of the creature trapped between them.

Naruto gave one last chuckled as he released the little minx, and Sasuke smiled gently.

"Thanks," Sasuke said, and Naruto shivered as he felt the raven's warm breath billow against the side of his neck, and he realized just how close he was now to Sasuke from removing the firefly.

Naruto turned his head and was eye to eye with Sasuke. They didn't say anything.

The air was thin and silent with the exception of the gentle rush of the water and the orchestra of crickets.

Naruto swallowed thickly, the wind seeming to have whisked all moisture from his throat. Kyuubi couldn't say any words of advice to him anymore—he was alone on this.

All that was left was himself and Sasuke.

Sasuke knew that he would never be satisfied unless Naruto made the move. Then he would know for sure whether or not Naruto really wanted this.

Sasuke took a step forward, their noses an inch away as they now shared breathing space.

Naruto knew that if he did this, it wouldn't be because it was the last time he would ever touch Sasuke again, it would be because he wanted to take that chance of being hurt so much again, because he loved Sasuke so much more.

After a minute of silence and no movement, Sasuke sighed internally.

No, he didn't…Naruto didn't—

Sasuke felt a swift pain in his cheek, and he stumbled back onto the ground in surprise, grunting as he landed hard on his bottom.

"Wh…what!?" Sasuke cried out disbelievingly, holding a hand over his cheek where Naruto had smacked him.

"Sorry," Naruto chuckled, kneeling down to his level. "But you were starting to frown a little, and I want you to look happy right now."

"Wh—" Sasuke was cut off as Naruto pressed his lips against his own without warning, and Sasuke exploded.

…or if he were in one of those cheesy movies he would have. Still, he couldn't help but feel a sense of awe. Naruto was kissing him of his own free will and…and he wasn't dreaming! Oh hell he wasn't dreaming was he?

"I know I'm not a very good kisser," Naruto said, pulling away and scratching the back of his head sheepishly. "But I didn't know that I was so bad as to shock you…"

Sasuke blinked several times.

"Where am I?" he asked.

Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Are you alright?"

Sasuke rubbed his aching cheek. "Yea sorry, I ju—" Sasuke paused. His cheek hurt. It HURT. You couldn't feel pain in dreams…

"Sasu--!!" Naruto practically had the wind crushed out of him and Sasuke wrapped his arms around him tightly.

"So I'm not sleeping," Sasuke said disbelievingly.

"No, y-you're very awake…" Naruto choked out, taking in a deep breath when Sasuke's hug lessened in intensity. Wait, did Sasuke think this was a dream or something?

Naruto pulled away from Sasuke, smiling genuinely, and pressed his lips against the Uchiha's once more.

This time Sasuke responded, catching the kiss and holding it as he wove one hand into Naruto's golden locks, the other pressing against his back to keep them both as close together as possible.

Naruto grasped the back of Sasuke's shirt tightly, digging his fingers harshly into the fabric with an iron grip. He wouldn't let go, not this time. This moment was theirs and it couldn't be stolen away by any demon or force of nature. This kiss was engraved in their skin, sowed into their minds.

Naruto knew that he would never forget this, even after death.

Sasuke was about to request entrance to Naruto's mouth when it was suddenly granted. They didn't battle for dominance as they fell back onto the grass, Naruto atop Sasuke. They settled in to the gentle, natural rhythm of their tongues sliding over each other in gentle caresses.

Sasuke moved one hand to the edge of Naruto's shirt, sliding up it's smooth surfaced, dipping now and then at the chiseled crevices of the blond's body.

Naruto felt his face grow hot as he groaned into the kiss, Sasuke's touch trailing flames up his skin.

"Naruto," Sasuke breathed as their kiss broke for air, and he kissed along the blond's neck, burying himself under the so desired fragrance that belonged only to Naruto. "I missed you…so…I love you…so much!!"

"Sasuke," Naruto said, and all the wind and emotions were captured from his mouth by Sasuke's as they kissed again. Naruto tightened his grip on Sasuke, and when they parted again, he held the Uchiha as tightly as he possibly could.

"Sasuke…Sasuke…" he choked, gritting his teeth together as he shielded back his tears. Sasuke hugged Naruto tightly back, both of them breathing in each other's essence as they embraced.

"Sasuke…I need to go," Naruto finally said after a long pause, releasing his hold on the raven.

"Why?" Sasuke asked, staring up at Naruto with confusion. "Stay like this…with me, Naruto. Why…"

"I have to go, Sasuke," Naruto said, standing up from the grass. "I'm…" He tightened his fist. "I'm sorry. I have preparations to make."

"For what?" Sasuke asked, standing quickly as well.

Naruto smiled and placed a finger to his lips,

"It's a secret."

* * *

Everything was ready.

Every form that could have been filled was, and any work that could have been done was completed. The will was written, and his office was cleared of his things. All that was left for Naruto was to wait until sunrise.

He felt it, the pain of the seal throbbing inside of him, stealing his life energy away from him.

Naruto collapsed into his comfy chair in front of his desk. The room was dark and lifeless- a fitting atmosphere, Naruto thought.

He stood, pulling his Hokage robes around himself tightly, and moved the chair backwards to face the large open window.

Naruto sat back down, closing his eyes and smiling a little as the wind gently embraced him, weaving through his hair like any other day. Then again, it _was_ just any other day. Nothing important was happening, nothing that anyone would remember years from now and feel sad.

It was just another morning in Konoha, just another sunrise. It held no special meaning.

Naruto struggled to release a sigh from his glass body, fatigued to no end. He lowered his eyelids slightly as the first rays of sun spilled through the window and kissed his scarred cheeks.

Naruto turned a little, raising a shaking hand to open a drawer in his desk. He took his headband from within the drawer, and turned back to face the sun. He clutched the headband tightly in his left hand as he slumped slightly in his seat, Hokage robes grazing the floor.

That headband knew Naruto. It had witness everything, knew everything, about the blond. Every secret moment he trained, every night he spent alone, every drop of blood he spilled, it knew. But unlike Naruto, it carried its scratches and battle scars on the outside where there was silver armor to protect it.

Naruto felt his breath winding in and out of every part of him, leaking through his slightly parted lips, never to return to him.

"_Konoha…"_

Naruto closed his eyes as the sun rose higher and painted his face gold.

"_I'm…alright. Because of you, Sasuke…"_

Naruto went limp as his body became numb. He opened his eyes a sliver and watched the sun ascend into the sky.

"_Thank you Kyuubi-nii…Tsunade…Jirai…a…"_

Naruto let his lashes fall as his head fell to the side.

"……_..Sasuke…"

* * *

_

**Do not panic! It's not over! According to the poll most of you would rather me continue this as one story with many chapters. So there will not be a sequel, and instead, we will keep moving forward with this!**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune**


	20. Letters

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None!**

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**Sky-eyed Kitsune and Gomi-kun blab & Updates**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: Glad that you all weren't too angry with me from the previous chapter lol. We've finally reached chapter twenty!!! :youthful tears: I am so honored to recieve such lovely reviews!  
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---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**For those of you just joining the madness now, I have stopped replying to reviewers because I've got so many that it tends to take an hour to do so! X0 But please know that I treasure each review I get, and read them all. In fact when I read them they made me smile in the way that a writer does when they've realized that they have a reason to write! So sincerely, thank you all who take the time and read and review! I will though be answering questions if someone doesn't understand one part of the story or something along those lines. ^^**

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**Chapter Twenty: Letters**

--

Tsuande hummed as she took out her extra key to the Hokage's office. Naruto had had one specially made for her so she could visit what had once been her office anytime she liked.

She placed the key in the lock and was surprised when she found the door already opened. She shrugged and strode in.

"Ohayo Hokage-sama!" she said loudly and cheerfully, heading straight to the sake cabinet and taking out a glass for herself.

"Oi gaki, why are you hear so early? You're taking this Hokage business too seriously. You have plenty of years to work as Hokage, so relax a little, ne?" Tsunade poured herself a drink and walked over to the desk.

"Hellooo?" she said, taking a sip. She walked around the desk and smiled when she saw Naruto slumped in his chair, head lolled to the side.

"Finally you're sleeping," she said to herself. She pushed back his hair from his face, and paused momentarily when she felt no warmth radiating from his skin. Come to think of it, she hadn't even sensed a chakra presence when she had walked into the building.

Tsunade let Naruto's hair drop as she tightened the grip on her glass.

She looked down to the floor in thought, and stopped in mid-sip when she saw Naruto's hitaiate lying on the floor, his hand lying limp and open a little ways above it.

Sake stained the wooden floor as Tsuade's glass shattered in her hand.

* * *

Jiraiya giggled and drooled a little as he watched tree lovely young women play at the shallow end of a lake just outside of Konoha, splashing each other and laughing.

Jiraiya quickly scribbled on his notepad as he wiped away the saliva hanging off his chin.

"Great stuff, great stuff!" he chuckled quietly to himself. He jerked and looked up when he heard a scream, and stood from his squashed position behind the bushes.

"Kiara! Help! Help!" one of them cried, and Jiraiya saw one of the women thrashing in the water further out to the deep end.

"She can't swim!" the other girl cried.

Jiraiya bit his finger and make a quick but silent summoning jutsu. A large toad appeared beside him, and he pointed to the lake.

The toad made a mighty leap, and the girls screamed and ran as it crashed into the water. It swam below the drowning woman, and then stood, carrying her on its back to shore.

Jiraiya sighed as the women made a fuss over the other one, helping her down from the toad as she coughed up water.

It was a close call, and she probably would've drowned if Jiraiya hadn't been peeking.

Jiraiya stood proudly and took long, proud steps ahead.

"Another life saved by the great Toad Sage!" he chortled to himself as he went. He fell backward, waving his arms in a frenzy when a poof of smoke erupted right under him.

"Wha-wha!?" he stuttered, and his eyebrow twitched when he saw that it was just one of Tsuande's small slugs.

"Ugh, what have I done now?" he whined, running a hand down his face. The slug pushed a scroll towards him before leaving in another puff or white.

Jiraiya grumbled as he swiped the scroll from the ground and practically ripped it open.

"What!?"

* * *

Sasuke groaned as he opened his door.

"What?" he practically hissed as he saw Sakura facing him.

"Sasuke-kun, it's—"

"Barely past sunrise and I don't need to start my morning off in the worst way possible," he interrupted, and slammed the door.

"Sasuke-kun, it's Naruto!"

Sasuke reopened the door immediately and waited for Sakura to answer. Now that he looked at her, the white's of her eyes were red and bloodshot, her hair a frizzy mess.

"He…" She took a moment to gather herself, hiccuping once. "He's…dead."

* * *

Tsunade and several other ANBU turned abruptly as the door to Naruto's office was smashed open off its hinges.

Sasuke rushed in, and stopped in front of Tsunade.

He didn't say anything, searching her face for confirmation of Sakura's report.

She looked away from Sasuke's eyes, gesturing a hand towards the seat behind the hokage's desk. It was faced away from Sasuke's so he couldn't see anything in it.

He walked cautiously forward, and then froze as he saw a limp hand hanging from the armrest of the chair.

"Sasuke!" Tsuande cried as the raven leapt over the desk and turned the chair to face him.

He scanned his eyes over Naruto's dropped eyelids hiding those living, shining eyes. The blond's Hokage robes bunched in his slouched position as if to support him. As his eyes traveled further down they locked onto the Konoha headband lying on the floor not a foot from Naruto's limp hand.

Sasuke grasped the hand firmly and gripped his hair roughly in the other.

It was cold.

"Sasuke…" Tsuande said, trying to find something to say.

Sasuke didn't answer; he didn't even hear her. His senses were closed off, only the iciness of Naruto's palm echoing through him.

Sasuke moved his hand up the length of Naruto's arm, climbing to his still face. He brushed his fingertips over the blond's black scars, and swept down to trace the gentle contours of those lips, those lips he had not even one day ago kissed.

Sasuke held Naruto's face in his hands, brushing his thumbs under the softly closed eyes, expecting them to open and reveal his own reflection in their blue depths.

Sasuke swept golden locks from that beautiful, beautiful face, that face that radiated so much warmth, and now housed only the cold.

Sasuke let his head dip forward until it leaned against Naruto's. He could feel the tears getting ready to spill, and he scrunched his eyes shut, and an aching sob tore from his throat. He grasped Naruto's limp shoulders, pulling him into a tight embrace, placing his hand on the back of the blond locks as he wept.

Tsunade looked on with her own tears flowing down her cheeks. She turned and walked out of the room, motioning for the ANBU to follow.

Sasuke didn't care who was watching- he didn't give a damn at all. He dropped down to his knees, taking Naruto with him in his embrace.

"Open…open your eyes…do-dobe," he whispered in between sobs. He pulled back and pressed his lips against Naruto's firmly.

"Wake up!!!"

* * *

Tsunade wasn't entirely sure at first if she had the courage to tell everyone the news, and yet there she stood in Naruto's office, surrounded by his closest companions.

"Thank you all for coming here on such short notice," Tsunade said, building up a barrier behind her eyes so no tears would slip through. "As you all are aware, Hokage-sama is dead. But more importantly, _Naruto_ is…gone."

The room was silent with the exception of quiet sniffs here and there.

"And that's what we're here for. When I came in here this morning I found this on Naruto's desk…" Tsunade held up an envelope addressed to her. "I opened it and inside Naruto had requested that I read it aloud to you all. So without further ado:

_To my village,_

_I apologize that I couldn't have been your Hokage for very long. The sealing technique to stabilize the Kyuubi's chakra from taking me over backfired, and instead the seal was using up all the chakra it could, including mine. I didn't have enough to keep it at bay. I have loved this village for my entire life because it was the one place where my friends were, and it was the place I knew I would gladly die fighting for. In my absence I request that Tsuande-sama resume the role of Hokage until a suitable heir to the title is found. I will fondly miss this place, and hope to come back to it one day if ever possible._

_To my friends,_

_First off, let me just say that if there is one tear in this room I'm sending Gamabunta to haunt each and every one of you. Hinata: I'm sorry that I couldn't have been there for the birth of your child. I'm sure it will be as beautiful as you and Shino will be a proud father._

Hinata managed a smile through her silent tears as Shino wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders.

_To Ino and Chouji: I know you will have a happy life together._

Choji held Ino tightly.

_My dear companion Gaara: you are and will always be my closest friend. I will miss you terribly, and I wish nothing but the best for you and Neji, and your siblings as well._

Gaara didn't display any emotion, and neither did Neji standing beside him. Gaard stood with his hands in the pockets of his hokage robes like he was being told about the weather.

_Shikamaru: I hereby pass to you the rank of ANBU captain. I'm sorry I couldn't do so sooner, but there was a lot of paperwork to fill out for it. I know you will lead our squad well. I also hope that you will get over your denial and admit that you __**do**__ have a "thing" for Temari."_

Temari looked over to Shikamaru, eyes wide, and he grumbled to himself.

"_Sakura: I wish you well in your medical studies_

Sakura bowed her head.

_Sai: I hold no grudges, especially in death. Kiba: The same goes for you._

Kiba and Sai looked at each other before stealing their gazes away to elsewhere.

_I know that there is one certain brown-haired chunin here today bawling no doubt on Kakashi-sensei's shoulder."_

Iruka looked up from Kakashi's chest, then let his head drop back down as he continued to cry and sniffle quietly.

"_I also know there is another who's an even bigger perv than Kakashi-sensei here._

Jiraiya made a sour face and crossed his arms.

_Iruka-sensei and Ero-senin: you were both the fathers I never had. I grew with your guidance, understanding, and a couple whacks on the head. I am forever grateful._

Iruka held a hand over his eyes as he exited the room, and Kakashi followed behind to comfort the broken-hearted chunin.

_Baa-chan: I have a few words to leave behind to you that for once don't include "drinking", "old hag", or "sake". I know you're probably expecting some good-natured yet goofy response, but right now I'd like to be serious. Thank you. Truly. I cannot express how much you helped me to grow and solidify my ultimate life's dream of Hokage. You were one of the few who I believe truly understood and believed in me._

Tsunade cleared her throat as she continued, a tear escaping from one of her eyes.

_Finally, Kyuubi: I was at first very afraid of you, but as I grew older and you recognized me as a strong-willed individual, I formed with you an unbreakable brotherly bond. You are and will always be my Kyuubi-nii._

_Goodbye,_

_Uzumaki Naruto_

_6__th__ Hokage_

_

* * *

_

Sasuke stared into the void space of what was once a great hokage's office, now stripped of its owners possessions and the owner itself.

He didn't flinch as ANBU carrying boxes of Naruto's things passed him on their way to the door. He didn't move, didn't make a sound even when they left. He stared out into the empty space and felt how sedentary it really was, like all of the life had been sucked out of it. Then again, that really is what had happened.

Naruto had warmth that made everything around him brim over with life. Now that he had been stolen away life had died in the room.

"Sasuke," Tsunade said behind him, and he turned halfway. She paused before walking up to him, hands behind her back. "Naruto…" She gathered herself. "Naruto left two other things on his desk besides his goodbye letter to everyone. The first note said not to bury his body for 24 hours. I don't know why this is. Does it make any sense to you?"

Sasuke shook his head.

"I thought not," Tsunade sighed. She straightened where she stood. "There was also this…" She removed her hands from behind her back and presented Sasuke with a letter, his name written in sharp ink on the front.

Sasuke took it gently, looking at the soft curves of Naruto's handwriting which he had remembered to be chicken scratch when they were in the academy.

"I didn't want to give it to you until you had calmed," Tsuande explained. With one last glance at the letter she left the office, closing the door firmly behind her.

As the door clicked shut quietly behind him Sasuke turned the letter over, running his finger along the close flaps. He reached inside once they had broken and carefully took out the piece of parchment within, unfolding it carefully.

.

.

_Sasuke_

_I never thought I would be writing a letter like this to you, or to anyone for that matter. I didn't mention you in my other goodbye letter to everyone because I have too much to say._

_I know one of your questions: why didn't I tell you? I didn't tell anyone. The only people that knew were myself and Kyuubi. In the one week I had left I did as much work as hokage as I could, but I didn't expect to finally really get to know you during that time as well._

_I won't say I'm sorry for pushing you away all this time. I was protecting myself, and also protecting you. I didn't want you to love someone that didn't exist. The Naruto I had always portrayed when we were younger was a fake. I wanted you to meet the real me, and then decide your feelings._

_You met me. We talked. We spent time together. And you made me fall for you all over again. Telling you that I only had a short time to live would hurt me too much. In all honesty, I was a coward. I was afraid to say those words to you, and up until now I was too stubborn to admit it, but I'll say it now._

_I'm scared, Sasuke. I don't know where I'll go or what will happen to me when the sun comes up. The only thing I'm certain of is that I'll never be able to return to you or Konoha again. Right now the only thing I want to hear is you telling me that it's ok, even though I know it's no going to be. Up until this point I hadn't been afraid of this day at all. I had resigned myself to it, and considered it just another part of my life that I had to accept, and I didn't care if I died. But now I want to stay here, I want to breathe and see your eyes tomorrow, and feel your skin against mine. I have something that I want to live for._

_I forgive you, and I love you, Sasuke._

_Naruto_

_._

_.  
_

The letter fluttered from Sasuke's grip as the last sentence hung on his fingertips, making its way up to his eyes and sinking into his skin.

He felt his legs shake as all energy was stripped from them, and they collapsed beneath him to his knees.

As the paper finally reached the floor, it was tacked down by the soft patter of drops that melted away the words on the page.

* * *

**Why am I so mean? ='( Reviews are an honor!  
**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune**


	21. Sound the Bugle

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None!**

* * *

**Sky-eyed Kitsune and Gomi-kun blab & Updates**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: Blah new semester. Statistics? Noooooooo!  
**

* * *

**For those of you just joining the madness now, I have stopped replying to reviewers because I've got so many that it tends to take an hour to do so! X0 But please know that I treasure each review I get, and read them all. In fact when I read them they made me smile in the way that a writer does when they've realized that they have a reason to write! So sincerely, thank you all who take the time and read and review! I will though be answering questions if someone doesn't understand one part of the story or something along those lines. ^^**

**Reviewer Question Replies:**

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* * *

**

**Chapter Twenty One: Sound the Bugle**

--

Tsunade donned her Hokage robes once more, something she thought she'd never have to do as long as Naruto was wearing them. His scent wafted around her, rippling off the fabric, and she locked her jaw tightly to keep any tears at bay; she would not show her sadness in front of the entire village.

It had been nearly twenty-four hours since Naruto's death, and Konoha needed to say goodbye to yet another great Hokage.

Tsunade took a deep breath as she walked out of the building by the stage in the same square. She stood at the podium where Naruto had given his acceptance speech as Hokage not days before.

She stared out into the mass of inquisitive faces before her, and bowed her head down.

"Minna-san," she managed to choke, gathering herself quickly and raising her head once more. "Yesterday morning at sunrise, Uzumaki Naruto died." Tsunade closed her eyes as a wave of whispers and hushed remarks ran through the villagers. It took all of her strength to continue.

"He was not murdered, nor did he kill himself. Hokage-sama was destroyed by a seal…a seal that was made to keep the evil that we once all faced inside of him. Instead, it tore him apart. In his farewell letter he requested that I withhold the Hokage position until I find another person suitable for the job."

The murmurs among the crowd slowly grew in intensity, and Tsunade raised her voice over them.

"Hokage-sama's funeral will be held this evening outside of Konoha's forest. I placed these Hokage robes on Naruto, and I took them off of him. We will remain strong as he did in the face of these testing times, and pray that Konoha will continue to thrive."

The crowd was silent as Tsunade stepped down, a layer of shock and dismay shrouding them all.

* * *

Sasuke's body was stiff and tired as he sat in a chair in Konoha's hospital wing. His fingers were curled tightly around another pair of pale and lifeless ones.

Sasuke had not left Naruto's side all through the night and into the early dawn. He had remained in that chair waiting for Naruto's eyes to open, just a little, and call him a teme.

It didn't happen.

Sasuke didn't turn when he felt a presence behind him, and the tell-tale pads of footsteps against the white hospital tiles echoed through him.

Gaara stood at the end of Naruto's bed, staring at the blond with the same annoyingly blasé face. Sasuke felt contempt for that constant expression which he too always wore. Gaara and Naruto were best friends, and even during the reading of his goodbye letter Gaara had displayed nothing- no regret, sadness, anger, nothing.

Fucking nothing.

Sasuke stood abruptly and whirled his fist sideways at Gaara's face, and a wall of sand appeared immediately, shielding him from Sasuke's surprise attack.

Gaara shifted his jade eyes to look at the raven still trying to push his fist through the sand barrier.

Sasuke finally tore his fist away, glaring heatedly at the redhead.

"He was your best friend!!" he shouted, lips curled back in a snarl and teeth gritting against each other like sandpaper. "He was your fucking _best friend_! And you don't even care! You don't even care that he's—"

"Dead," Gaara filled in. "Yes, Naruto is dead and gone. But that's just it- he's dead, just like many other Hokages before him. What's the point of crying over another dead ninja?"

"He wasn't just a ninja! He was Naruto! Naruto the drop out, Naruto the loser, Naruto the number one unexpected ninja, Naruto the demon, Naruto the person that no one ever knew until he was gone!!!" Sasuke panted from all of his yelling as Gaara continued to analyze him with that same blank stare.

"Death comes to everyone and everything," Gaara said. "There is nothing that outlasts it but the sky. You are given life, and later you must give it back again, sometimes unwillingly. It's unfair that Naruto had to die this soon. Yes, I was his best friend, and yes, I care, but I withhold my emotions for the sake of my village."

Sasuke looked at Gaara calculatingly.

"If I relapse and mourn over this death, then my village will suffer from my inability to perform at my best, unhindered by any emotional weight." Gaara moved his eyes back to look at Naruto, his eyelids lowering a little.

"Naruto has been my greatest companion since the day he risked his life to save me from myself, but I could not return the favor and save him."

"Did you…"

Gaara looked over at Sasuke, head bent down to the floor and hand curled into a shaking fist at his side.

"…did you love him?"

Gaara was silent as he stared hard at Sasuke through dark shadowed eyes.

"Yes," he finally said. "And my feelings remain the same now."

Sasuke swallowed thickly. "But Naruto and Sai—"

"Sai was not even a possibility in Naruto's mind after he had given up on you for the final time," Gaara cut off. "Naruto didn't take interest in Sai until two years later. Doe his eighteenth year he was alone, and I couldn't stand to see him that way."

"So you offered to be together with him?" Sasuke asked, crossing his arms.

"No. I made sure to be there for Naruto when times were the hardest for him. I was too afraid of causing Naruto discomfort by asking him such a thing. I couldn't bear to risk my friendship on something I so selfishly wanted. Naruto was the one to take things to a new level."

"_Naruto," Gaara said, approaching the blond. He was leaning his head against an old sycamore tree in Konoha forest, arms loose at his sides._

_Gaara placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder and turned him around swiftly to face those wet, crystal blue eyes._

"_Stop this, Naruto," Gaara said. "Stop thinking about him. There are others. It's been a year, and I can't stand to watch you suffer like this anymore."_

_Naurto took a step forward, and Gaara took one back, until Naruto had the redhead blocked in front of a tree._

_Naruto gripped Gaara's lean shoulders tightly, squeezing the fabric of the redhead's Kazekage robes between his fingers. He dove forward, kissing Gaara's pale lips urgently and pressing him further against the tree._

"I'm not going to lie. I wanted it to happen," Gaara said, placing his hands in the pockets of his Kazakage robes. "I knew that I was just a substitute for you, but I didn't care. He was lost and didn't know what to do, and looked to me to be that 'other someone' to make it all better…" Gaara narrowed his eyes to the tiled floor. "But I couldn't. I wasn't satisfied. Naruto looked to me as a friend, even when we kissed or embraced. I wasn't his lover, I was the comfort he wanted."

"What happened?" Sasuke asked, genuinely curious now.

"Naruto lost himself completely," Gaara answered solemnly. "The walls he had built up crumbled, and everything in life seemed to escape him as he struggled to move on. I had never seen Naruto in so much pain anymore, and I couldn't help him. I let him go, and he met Sai. And finally Naruto's walls started to build up again."

Gaara looked at Sasuke.

"Then you came back and ruined the false peace that Naruto almost had." Gaara shook his head and smiled a little. "And somehow you made his walls come down again, but in the way that I had strived to do for a long time. It seems like a sin to have someone so pure die in their only moment of true happiness."

Gaara gave Sasuke a farewell nod, and left Naruto's room.

Sasuke looked back over to Naruto, and resigned himself once more to the chair he had been sitting all night in. He ran a hand over Naruto's pale but oh so smooth face, shielding another onset of tears to come.

"Naruto," he said, the name sifting through his lips like smoke.

He drew his hand back quickly as a sudden burning sensation pricked his fingertips, and Naruto's body glowed red.

Sasuke stood up as fast as he could and backed away, the chair clattering to the floor. The glow sent immense waves of heat outward toward him, and he shut his eyes from the fiery sting.

As the heat began to lessen, Sasuke opened his eyes as much as possible without the heat stinging them.

"Naruto…?" he whispered, hoping, praying, that the impossible had happened.

Sasuke gasped as the room suddenly became unbearably hotter, and the glowing heat of Naruto's body erupted into an explosion, sending Sasuke flying through the wall out into the hallway.

"Naruto!!!" he yelled as fire and smoke engulfed the room, and he scrambled to his feet, dashing into the flames and hot falling cinders.

He covered his eyes with his arm from the tremendous heat, and his mouth hung open slightly when he saw a figure approach him from the hissing flames.

He took a wavering step back, exposing his eyes. "Naruto?" Sasuke's teeth clenched in violent pressure. "No!" he shouted, clenching his eyes shut. "No!!!"

The figure doused the fire with a wave of his arm, and Sasuke sunk down to his knees under the clearing smoke, clutching strands of his hair fiercely. He didn't look up as the figure loomed over him.

"I'm sorry," Kyuubi said, his long red locks drifting around him in the wave of smoke. He reached out a clawed hand- Naruto's hand- but it was smacked away swiftly as Sasuke raised his teary and infuriated eyes to the demon.

Kyuubi narrowed his eyes, letting the supposed comforting hand drop to his side.

He looked up swiftly as rushed footsteps neared them, and Tsunade panted as she reached the rubble of the room. Her mouth wavered open slightly as she looked down from Sasuke to Kyuubi, and turned her head at the many footsteps hurrying up the stairway. Her eyes locked with Kyuubi, and with a pained expression, formed a hand seal quickly, closing the room off from all outsiders.

Kyuubi bowed his head as Tsunade urged all of the ANBU and other ninjas present out of the building, the shield obscuring Kyuubi and Sasuke from view.

Kyuubi's eyes drifted back down to Sasuke on his hands and knees now, nails scraping on the tiled floor as he searched for a point in which to anchor himself to the rest of the world.

"Did you expect Naruto to just rise from the dead and start walking?" Kyuubi asked bitterly, still mourning over the loss of the blond.

"Shut up!" Sasuke shouted, flinging his arm out haphazardly, not really expecting it to hit anything. "You did this!"

Kyuubi's eyes narrowed as he glared at the Uchiha. "Me? You think, really think that I would do this?" Kyuubi snarled a little. "How dare you say that! Naruto was like my brother, and I did everything in my power to try and save him! You think I wanted to take over his body? You think I wanted him to leave me here without a person in the world who understands me!?"

Sasuke stared down Kyuubi, his sharingan spinning as he locked eyes with the furious demon.

Kyuubi shut his eyes tightly and turned his head away from the Uchiha. He knew it was stupid- the both of them yelling and shouting over the person they both loved the most in the world. But Kyuubi knew it didn't matter anymore. Nothing did. Naruto was gone; he was really gone.

There was nothing left for Kyuubi, and he was well aware of that. He knew people didn't want him in this world, and he didn't want to be here in this body.

Kyuubi had made his whole purpose in life to become more powerful, and then he was sealed in Naruto. His newfound mission was to protect such a pure and innocent vessel, and he had failed. Power didn't matter anymore, and there was no pure soul left to protect.

He had no purpose in life, or for that matter, to live.

Kyuubi looked up as he heard footsteps, and the chakra barrier around them began to disappear. Tsunade clutched Naruto's hokage robes against her as she looked hopefully at Kyuubi.

Kyuubi couldn't look at those pleading eyes searching for a soul in the wrong body. He turned his body away from the woman, and disappeared as flames rose up from the ground and swallowed him.

Tsunade ran to Sasuke as the shield disappeared, kneeling by him.

"Well?" she asked a little too desperately. The light from her eyes faded as Sasuke didn't reply, and was gone in a wisp of smoke.

As ANBU arrived in the dilapidated room, they could only remain silent as their hokage crashed to her knees, hands over her eyes as tears escaped between them and pattered to the broken floor.

* * *

Sasuke sat on the roof of the Uchiha mansion, looking out over at the glowing orange lights illuminating the far east.

He couldn't attend Naruto's funeral—he just couldn't bring himself to face it.

Every soul in Konoha had fled to the eastern forest where Naruto's grave was being placed. The city had been blown out like a candle, doused with a hokage's tears.

Sasuke closed his eyes as the wind wove its nimble fingers through his hair, the wind chimes hanging below on the porch shivering at its chilly breath.

Sasuke couldn't seem to take his eyes off the lights in the distant forest- the hundreds of candles held by Konoha citizens in memory of their short-lived leader. The light didn't do Naruto justice. He was so much brighter, so much warmer, than those melting damp candles.

The light seemed to have been sucked from the sky, as the moon didn't even show its face, and the stars hid in their own unlit darkness.

As the wind chimes danced and tickled Sasuke's ears, he wanted to chop them down and pluck every last string those little delicate bells hung from. What right did they have to be cheerful? To even given the tiniest trickle of noise?

Naruto's laughter didn't sound like bells until Sasuke heard it knowing the real man who produced such a glorious noise.

Sasuke could still feel it- that gentle warmth seeping through him in the presence of Naruto's light.

…but how? How was it possible to feel that glowing, spreading warmth when its creator was absent from the world?

Sasuke stood on the roof.

What was he doing? Sitting there, mourning over Naruto? There had to be a reason that Sasuke could still feel Naruto's presence though he was gone, there _had_ to be. Naruto wouldn't just give up so easily, not when he and Sasuke had finally reached, had finally touched each other.

Sasuke wasn't a quitter, and he certainly wasn't going to loose his grip on Naruto without a fight.

* * *

**Go go Sasuke-baka! *o***

**Sky-eyed Kitsune  
**


	22. Replay

**Disclaimer: I don't own nor have I contributed to Naruto in any way! Nope! None!**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune and Gomi-kun blab & Updates**

**Sky-eyed Kitsune: It's been a while, huh? The semester is finally over!! I'm really glad too- it was a crummy one. Still managed to pull a 4.0 from the classes I took though, so I'm happy ^^  
**

**For those of you just joining the madness now, I have stopped replying to reviewers because I've got so many that it tends to take an hour to do so! X0 But please know that I treasure each review I get, and read them all. In fact when I read them they made me smile in the way that a writer does when they've realized that they have a reason to write! So sincerely, thank you all who take the time and read and review! I will though be answering questions if someone doesn't understand one part of the story or something along those lines. ^^

* * *

**

**Reviewer Question Replies:**

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**

**Chapter Twenty Two: Replay  
**

Sasuke whipped out his arms, shoving away branches while avoiding any obstructions on the ground; he couldn't afford to loose Kyuubi's chakra trail. He almost wondered why the demon didn't mask it.

Sasuke halted in the forest as the surge became stronger than ever, as if being pulsed out with the purpose of being found.

Sasuke gasped as the earth beneath his next step suddenly gave way, and he slipped into the loose ground.

He grunted as his body hit a hard surface, and the demonic, yet docile chakra enveloped him.

"So, you've come."

Sasuke lifted his head to be met with the dim glow of Kyuubi's visage in the darkness, lit by two weak torches clinging to the dirt walls.

"I knew you would come looking for me again," Kyuubi said, turning away from Sasuke and kneeling on the ground. "Now that you are here, in this sacred place, do what you will."

Sasuke stood from his crumpled heap.

"Sacred place?" he questioned. He felt foolish the moment the words had left his lips as his eyes landed on, in the dim light of the torches, Naruto's blue crystal necklace hanging from an embellished tree root in the slope of the wall that Kyuubi faced.

Sasuke paused. "This was his?"

"He came here for seclusion and meditation," Kyuubi answered back quietly. "He was here often after abandoning his attempts to bring you back."

Sasuke's dark charcoal eyes smoothed over with the wavering shadows cast by the lights.

"Do us both a favor, and take care of what you came here to do," Kyuubi finally growled, frustrated.

"Do what?"

Sasuke took a step back as Kyuubi whipped around and pinned him to the earthen wall by his shoulders, claws digging deep into the pale covered flesh there.

"_Kill me!"_ Kyuubi finally screamed.

"Kil—"

"Yes! Kill me! Kill me _please!!!"_

Sasuke watched in horror and amazement as Kyuubi's shoulders quivered, and his claws released Sasuke as he sunk to his knees, his hands following close behind. He gasped softly as his body shook, long wisps of scarlet hair sweeping over his shoulders. It wasn't until what seemed like hours later that Sasuke realized that Kyuubi was _crying._

Sasuke shook his head disbelievingly, and the presence of Naruto Sasuke had felt pulsing through him, slipped away.

"For so long I've been waiting…waiting to be free," Kyuubi struggled to say as his tears pattered down. "And now that I have it…" Kyuubi shook his head and lashed out a curled hand at the ground, carving deep slashes into the earth. "Just kill me!" he finally shouted.

Sasuke knew that he couldn't relate to what Kyuubi was going through; he had never been without a purpose in life, or a reason to live. There was always something waiting for him to finish, something for him to return to.

Kyuubi had nothing. The closest thing to a family he had ever possessed was Naruto, and the closest thing to a home he had ever encountered was within Naruto. All around him there was hatred for what he had done, and there was no one that would truly accept him.

Until this point, Sasuke had not grasped the concept of complete nothingness, of total emptiness. It was unfair for any creature to have to suffer through life without a purpose.

Sasuke furrowed his brow and gave Kyuubi a harsh kick.

"Get up!" he shouted, clenching his fists, and Kyuubi looked back at him with empty, yet astonished eyes. "If Naruto could see you now, he wouldn't even know who you were, because you damn well aren't Kyuubi! Don't you think Naruto expects more of you? For you to do more with your life than just welcome death!?"

Sasuke shook his head. He knew that these words weren't just for Kyuubi, but for himself to hear as well.

"I can feel Naruto, I can…but only when I'm not as hopeless as you are," he said. His eyes became soft as he looked down at the ground. "This is how Naruto must've felt inside all the time…like just giving up all together." Sasuke clenched his fist once more. "But he made himself a purpose instead of giving up like we are."

Sasuke looked back over to Kyuubi to see the demon's eyes closed his thought. Then slowly, almost languidly, he rose from his sunken position, skin alight with wisps of fire. He opened his eyes and smirked at Sasuke.

"Nice speech," he said jestingly. "But there's work to be done."

"Work?" Sasuke questioned.

"Of course. I wouldn't expect you to come all the way here and rekindle the ashes left of me without the intent of hoping that I could bring Naruto back."

"Can you?"

Kyuubi paused as he thought. "Perhaps," he said in a near cautious manner. He shook his head. "I don't know. I'd need access to Naruto's research for that."

"Research?" Sasuke settled himself down on the dirt floor, Kyuubi joining him.

"When Naruto was still alive he spent years studying jinchurriki. He made many new discoveries, but nothing near what he wanted. He was attempting to find a way to connect with jinchurrikis that had already spent their lives, and their souls were sent to an unknown dimension."

"Why would Naruto be interested in that?"

"The souls of jinchurriki could provide more information than any existing one on their housed demons. But as far as Naruto's goal for his research, even I don't know."

Sasuke furrowed his brow. "Can't you hear his thoughts?"

"Sometimes," Kyuubi said, tilting his head a little. "But I couldn't reach Naruto within the days of his death. In this time he was consumed by his research to the point where I suspect he must have made some sort of breakthrough."

"And this could help bring Naruto back?" Sasuke asked eagerly.

"I'm not sure, but it's really the only thing I can think of."

Sasuke stood. "Then we need to retrieve Naruto's manuscripts from Tsunade."

"Naruto did not leave them in his office; he hid them somewhere. Since I could not connect with him I have no idea of where that place could possibly be."

Sasuke clenched his fist.

"You were like Naruto's brother. You would know best where he hid it," he said. Kyuubi shook his head, sighing tiredly.

"I don't. I really don't. This was one of Naruto's most private places. And if it's not here, then I'm not sure of where it is."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes to the ground, frustrated. He jumped out of the underground nook, struggling a little to climb his way out of the deep hole. Once out, he stood and walked off in the direction of the dying lights to the east.

* * *

"_Let's go out and play, Naruto."_

_Naruto jerked up abruptly, poking his head out from Konoha's autumn fields. Sakura giggled above him, holding out her hand. Naruto held up one of his own to block the bright midday sun from his eyes._

"_Wake up silly!" Sakura laughed as Naruto blinked, taking her hand. He gasped a little as she pulled him up quickly. "C'mon Naruto, let's go play!"_

_Naruto looked down at his hand as Sakura tugged it impatiently, noticing how pristine, how unscarred and small it really was. Naruto almost tripped as Sakura began running, yanking him along._

_He looked up as he ran with her, the clouds creating a dappled pallet of light and shade over the field. The sensation of rain pattered upon his shoulders though the skies remained utterly clear. He looked down, watching his sandaled feet rise and fall to the silent beat of the earth, his black spiraled shirt flapping about in the rushing wind._

"_Sakura?" he asked, and they stopped running as they reached the mouth of Konoha's forest._

"_What is it, Naruto?" she said, smiling back brightly at him. Naruto opened his mouth to say something, but then closed it. He looked down and caught his reflection in a puddle near his feet. He got down on his hands and knees, leaning forward until his nose touched the water, his reflection rippling and blinking back at him._

_His child face displayed a look of utter loss and disbelief. A small hand touched fingers to his young face, tracing the marks where black scars should have been._

"_Kyuubi…" he murmured._

"_What's a Kyuubi?" Sakura asked, kneeling down in front of Naruto. He looked up at her, only to fall back on his bottom, swiping the sudden water splash from his eyes. He cleared his eyes in time to see Sakura laughing and running away._

_Naruto clambered to his feet and sprinted after her._

"_Sakura!" he yelled out, increasing his speed. He felt his short hair swish over his neck, the pungent taste of the forest on his tongue, and the weightlessness of his rushing body. He breathed in as deeply as he could, letting the sensations fill him, and releasing a cry of joy with his exhale, marveling at the distance in which in his voice carried._

"_Sakura!" he yelled, grinning widely as the wind licked at his face. "Sakura, wait for me!" Naruto's smile gradually faded as he ran, the trees around him loosing their array of scarlet and gold leaves, shriveling before being carried away by a frigid wind._

_Naruto skid to a halt, gazing around him as everything withered into skeletons of their previous forms._

_He shut his eyes tightly, covering them with his hands for added measure, his heartbeat increasing as his breath became short and fast. He listened to his own nervous panting for a little while, until he had gathered the courage to remove his hands a little._

_All at once he tore them away when he saw the edge of white over his fingers, and his breath hung visible in the air, accompanying the snow dropping all around him._

"_Dobe."_

_Naruto looked down, his heart quivering and his breath becoming even shorter as Sasuke looked up at him from the ground, needles puncturing his bloody skin and regret dripping from his every pore._

"_You should see your face."_

_Naruto dropped down to his knees immediately, pulling out the needles from the raven's skin as quickly as possible, his eyes stinging and glassy._

"_You're ok, Sasuke," he said, though the more needles he pulled out the more seemed to replaced them, until Sasuke was devoured by them._

"_Sasuke!" Naruto shouted, diving into the pile of needles._

_He gasped, throat closing as he lost his breath, until he finally emerged from a lake to the valley of end._

_Naruto heaved himself atop the water with his adhesive chakra, but stumbled in a sudden stinging pain._

_He slipped on the water, his chakra abandoning his body as he clutched the spewing red whole in his chest, sinking under the water's crystalline surface. He gripped a hand on its edge, gasping for breath above the rippling waves._

_Darkness seeped into the edges of his eyes as he desperately tried to pull in air. A figure loomed over him in a calm posture, and Naruto sputtered water from his mouth._

"_Sa-Sas!" he gasped as Sasuke's face came into focus, staring down at him. "Hel-he!" Naruto shot his grappling hand into the air towards Sasuke, sinking under the water's surface before it was grabbed and he burst above the surface again._

"_Sasuke!" he breathed, looking up at the raven. As relief washed over him, it was quickly swept away with the tide as Sasuke released the grip on his hand, and he plummeted into the water, Sasuke's wavering reflection above the surface staring down at him without care, without pain._

_Without love._

_Naruto tried to gasp for air but only water filled him, seeping into his lungs as the hole in him expanded, blood seeping out into the water and overtaking his vision as his hand still reached upward for Sasuke._

_Naruto clamped his eyes shut as his fingertips were devoured by the water._

"_**Jinchurriki go to a place where their souls are locked forever."**_

_Naruto's eyes shot open, and he whirled around where he stood in his hokage office, robes billowing at his feet as he turned._

"_Kyuubi!" he shouted, banging his fists against the walls. "Help me, Kyuubi!!!" Naruto punched the wall, picked up his desk and threw it across the room, and shattered anything breakable until he collapsed onto his knees, panting madly. He gripped his hair down to the roots, tears flowing down his unscarred cheeks and pattering against the floor._

_He suddenly coughed and gripped his chest, scrunching the fabric of his shirt between his fingers. The light of the room swept over with a warmer tone, and Naruto turned to the window._

_His lungs clawed for air desperately as he felt the life leaving his body, all of his color and warmth being sucked away, slipping through his hands._

"This is the part where I die for good_," he thought as his coughing became wheezing gasps. "_Where I won't have to experience anymore of these memories ever again_." Naruto's thrashing ceased as he became still on the floor, quivering breaths winding out of him, lips barely parted as his eyes shut, and feeling finally stopped._

_.....  
_

"_Let's go out and play Naruto."_

_Naruto's eyes flashed open, and he wordlessly stared up at that same, smiling Sakura. His hands shook and his mind whirled as she helped him up. He looked up, feeling the pattering of rain against his skin once more, only to see clear skies.

* * *

_

**Sometimes the harshest physical punishment in the world can not sum up to the emotional agony of living through the worst, and very real nightmares in your mind.**


End file.
